Senator Christopher “Bong” Go on Monday, November 4 called on the government to provide comprehensive assistance to all farmers noting the significant damage wrought by recent typhoons “Kristine” and “Leon.”

Both typhoons ravaged crops across various regions in the Philippines and has left many farmers struggling to recover from the damage.

For instance, Go said corn farmers in Baggao, Cagayan, had difficulty recovering after their harvests were adversely affected by “Leon.” Some of them, he said, shared their experiences of salvaging what little they could from flood-ravaged fields, knowing that their primary source of income had already been wiped out.

Such disasters, he said, underscored the recurring vulnerabilities faced by the agricultural sector in calamity-prone areas.

“Ang hirap ng pinagdadaanan ng ating mga magsasaka. Kailangang dagdagan pa ang suporta ng gobyerno para sa kanila, lalo na sa mga lugar na laging naaapektuhan ng kalamidad (Our farmers go through such hardships. The government needs to provide more support for them, especially those who are in calamity-prone areas),” said Go.

“Marami sa ating mga magsasaka ay nababaon sa utang tuwing nasasalanta ang kanilang ani (Many of our farmers fall into debt each time calamity strikes their harvest),” he pointed out.

He said it is imperative for the government to provide targeted assistance and strategic solutions to uphold the livelihoods of farmers.

“Dapat natin silang protektahan, hindi lang sa pamamagitan ng emergency relief, kundi ng pangmatagalang solusyon tulad ng crop insurance, capacity enhancement, at dagdag puhunan (They deserve protection, not only through emergency relief, but also through long-lasting solutions like crop insurance, capacity enhancement),” Go added.

He also emphasized the need to safeguard farmers against unforeseen disasters.

In line with his legislative priorities, Go is pushing for full crop insurance coverage for agrarian reform beneficiaries, ensuring they are compensated for losses due to natural disasters, pest infestations, and plant diseases without the burden of costly premium fees.

Go also called on the Philippine Crop Insurance Corporation to expand its programs to include non-crop agricultural assets, such as livestock and fisheries.

Additionally, Go also highlighted the importance of more accessible and simplified credit facilities for farmers to protect them from predatory lending practices.

“Ang mga simpleng hakbang tulad ng pagbibigay ng libreng binhi, abono, at makinarya ay malaking tulong na (Simple steps like giving free seeds, fertilizers and machines would greatly help them),” he said.

“Pero dapat ay mas palawakin pa natin ang mga farmers’ markets kung saan direkta nilang maibebenta ang kanilang mga ani sa mga mamimili (But we should expand our farmers’ markets where they can directly go to sell their harvests),” the senator stressed.