The Philippine Crop Insurance Corporation (PCIC) reiterated its call for workers in the agriculture sector, including small owners of agricultural businesses, to register with the government’s registry system and avail of insurance and future assistance.

In an interview Friday, Rose Tanacio of the PCIC-Benguet, said sign-up activities for the Registry System for Basic Sectors in Agriculture (RSBSA) are held in municipal and provincial agriculture offices, offices of the Department of Agriculture, and some villages that have barangay agriculture extension workers.

She said farmers producing crops or raising livestock have to submit the identification card issued by the RSBSA or the control number if the ID card had not yet been issued to them.

Tanacio also said the RSBSA is the same requirement to be included in the list of government beneficiaries for aid, grants, assistance and even to avail of a loan program of the DA.

She said this will address the complaints of farmers over losses due to damage to crops due to pests or as a result of man-made or natural calamities, as well as the death of animals due to diseases and viruses or culling to avoid the spread of diseases.

“These occurrences are covered by insurance and if they are registered, they can avail of protection allowing them to recoup not all, but at least have money to start a new one,” Tanacio said.

Aida Pagtan, DA- regional agriculture and fisheries information service (RAFIS)-Cordillera chief, said the registry is the government’s way of knowing its agricultural production and resources aside from identifying who needs to be assisted or who will receive assistance when there is aid given to specific agricultural commodities.

She added that the government came up with the registration program to serve as a guide in deciding on the development plan and programs.

Pagtan noted that at the height of the coronavirus pandemic, most of the assistance was provided to RSBSA registered agriculture sector workers.

She said the most recent assistance is the fertilizer voucher program is provided to the rice farmers who are registered to the government’s RSBSA program.

“President (Ferdinand) Marcos (Jr.), who is also our Secretary, has pointed out in his long-term and short-term goals to achieve the 10-point agenda of the department and the country as a whole the increase in agricultural production to make food affordable and to satisfy the food requirement of every Filipino and have a surplus for its export market,” she said. (PNA)