MANILA – A lawmaking tandem from Abra is urging the passage of a measure that seeks to establish a free weather index-based crop insurance (FIBCI) program with automatic payouts to better assist small farmers during climate-related calamities.

House Bill No. 6519, or the Weather Ready Farmers bill, was filed by Solid North Party-list Rep. Ching Bernos and Abra Lone District Rep. JB Bernos. The measure aims to create an FIBCI Program overseen by the Insurance Commission and backed by a PHP5.8 billion Premium Subsidy Fund.

The bill provides that farmers, agricultural and fisheries producers, and farmers’ cooperatives registered with their local government units (LGUs) can access the insurance program as a group policy through accredited providers. LGUs may supplement national subsidies with local funds, and farmers may opt to pay for additional insurance features.

Payouts under the program are triggered automatically when agreed weather parameters—such as rainfall, wind speed, or temperature—breach set thresholds, eliminating the need for LGUs to declare a state of calamity.

A FIBCI Oversight Board will monitor the program, convening at least twice a year. The board will include the Insurance Commission as chairman; heads of the Departments of Agriculture, Interior and Local Government; the Cooperative Development Authority; the National Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Council; PAGASA; the DOST-Advanced Science and Technology Institute; three farmers from Luzon, Visayas, and Mindanao; and three representatives from the insurance industry.

“Through this measure, we can ensure that our small farmers receive timely compensation, administrative delays are minimized, and there are no disputes over loss verification,” Ching Bernos said.

JB Bernos highlighted the inefficiencies of the traditional crop insurance system. “Due to the traditional system, insurance payouts are playing catch-up. Dumating na ang kasunod na bagyo o baha, hindi pa rin nababayaran ang mga magsasaka. Kailangan nating baguhin ang sistema para mas mabilis tayong makapag-responde sa pangangailangan ng ating mga magsasaka (The next calamity is already coming, but the farmers have not yet been indemnified. We need to change the system to immediately respond to their needs),” he said, emphasizing that timely support for farmers is critical to national food security.