INSURANCE. Governor Matthew Joseph Manotoc says on Tuesday (Feb. 28, 2023) that hog repopulation has started in Ilocos Norte province under a "yellow zone" classification. Hog raisers here are encouraged to insure their pigs to recover their investment in case of a calamity. (PNA file photo)
LAOAG CITY – The provincial government of Ilocos Norte on Tuesday urged all backyard and commercial hog raisers to secure insurance packages so they could recover part of their investments, in case their farms get affected by the African swine fever (ASF).
To assist hog raisers to get back to business, Governor Matthew Joseph Manotoc on Tuesday directed the Provincial Veterinary Office to help them avail of insurance packages from the Philippine Crop Insurance Corporation (PCIC).
"If you can not insure your pigs, let us know so we can cover them,” said Manotoc as he noted that the Department of Agriculture’s (DA) PCIC is offering free livestock insurance for the protection of farmers’ livelihood and businesses.
As the sole government agricultural insurance firm in the country, the PCIC included ASF among the risks covered by its livestock insurance as early as 2019 when the disease broke out in the country.
The PCIC is providing a PHP10,000 insurance cover per head of swine, on a premium payment of only 2.25 percent or PHP225.
Free insurance is given to small backyard hog raisers if they are listed in the Registry System for Basic Sectors in Agriculture (RSBSA).
To do this, hog raisers can apply for insurance online through the DA-PCIC website, or they can visit the city and municipal agriculture office nearest them for assistance.
At present, hog repopulation has started in various parts of the province following the DA’s declaration from “pink zone” to yellow zone.”
An area declared under a "yellow zone” can now repopulate with strict observance of the biosecurity level such as using a fence, wheel bath, and foot bath, putting up a disposal area away from residential houses.
The public is also encouraged to report incidents of unauthorized entry of swine and meat by-products without complete documents to avoid the re-infection or re-occurrence of ASF.
Meanwhile, the DA continues to provide assistance to deter the adverse impacts of the ASF, as well as invest in programs for the longer-term sustainability of the hog industry. (PNA)
