Fresh from the peace talks in Rome, Italy, Rep. Rene L. Relampagos lost no time in attending to his parliamentary duties by attending various house committee meetings at the House of Representatives this week of which he is a member. 

The solon presided last Wednesday the Committee on Agrarian Reform where House Bill Nos. 229 and 2177 were tackled. Said house bills refer to the grant of full crop insurance coverage to qualified agrarian reform beneficiaries.

On behalf of the Reps. Eric Singson and Vilma Santos-Recto, authors of the respective measures, Rep. Luisa Lloren Cuaresma delivered the sponsorship remarks. She stressed that the measures will provide the agrarian reform beneficiaries (ARBs) with the much needed insurance protection against losses arising from natural calamities, plant diseases and pest infestations of their crops.

All resource persons, both coming from the public and the private sector, expressed their support to the twin measures and highlighted the need to legislate the same as it will provide protection for the farmer against the perils of natural calamities.  They also highlighted the fact that that it will promote a positive impact on the lives of farmer-beneficiaries and ensure the efficiency of support services for the sector, thereby helping them rise against poverty.

Some points were suggested to be covered under the measure, such as: (1) the specific details on the qualifications of the ARBs; (2) types of crops to be covered; (3) availability of funds for full insurance coverage and (4) increase in the capitalization of the Philippine Crop Insurance Corporation.

Chairman Rene Relampagos approved the motion to constitute a Technical Working Group to work on the formulation of a substitute bill which will cover all the concerns raised during the meeting. He said, “our farmers need all the help they can get. Most especially in situations beyond their control, the government should be the first to help them. This becomes a necessity now, more than ever, in view of the climate change where we can expect to experience fiercer storms and heavier droughts.”