BONTOC, Mountain Province – The Bontoc Local Government Unit (LGU) through the Office of the Municipal Agriculturist (OMAg) is urging all backyard and commercial hog raisers to secure insurance package so they could recover part of their investment in case their farms or areas get affected by the African swine fever (ASF).
Municipal Agriculturist Renato Falag-ey took the meeting of the Municipal Peace and Order Council (MPOC) on August 20, 2024, in Barangay Guina-ang with hundreds individuals in attendance as a platform to inform the public about the Livestock Insurance Program. The attendees at the meeting are municipal officials, representatives from offices of the Bontoc LGU, officials and functionaries from the 16 barangays of Bontoc, representatives from the partner national government agencies, Civic Society Organizations (CSOs), and Guina-ang villagers.
Falag-ey explained that the minimum age for insurance for hogs is 45 days old for fattener and six months old for breeders. Each person or applicant can insure up to 20 heads of fatteners and 10 heads for breeders.
He added that aside from hogs, other livestock animals may be insured too. The minimum age for insurance for cattle and carabao is seven months, while for sheep and goats is four months. Each person can insure up to 10 heads of cattle, 10 heads of carabao, 25 heads of goat and 25 heads of sheep. The requirements for the Livestock Insurance Program include pictures of the animal/s to be insured, photocopy of valid Identification Card, and Application Form available at the Office of the Municipal Agriculturist (OMAg) located at the 3rd Floor of the Bontoc Municipal Capitol.
Bontoc Mayor Jerome “Chagsen” Tudlong, Jr., during the meeting advised the villagers to approach the personnel from the OMAg so they may likewise be assisted on how to avail of the crop insurance.
Likewise, the mayor solicited the assistance of the barangay officials and functionaries present in the meeting to relay the information to the constituents when they go back to their respective barangays.
Meanwhile, the OMAg distributed vegetable seeds and dewormers for livestock free of charge to the villagers during the MPOC meeting. At the same time, staff from the OMAg attended to the queries of villagers. By Alpine L. Killa-Malwagay
