Solon calls for revitalization of coconut industry

“The advancement of the coconut industry has long been hampered due to the lack of focus and funding on research and development.” (Pixabay photo)

MANILA — A leader at the House of Representatives on Thursday called for the revitalization of the Philippine coconut industry by boosting its research and development.

Deputy Speaker Sharon Garin made the call in time for the celebration of the 32nd National Coconut Week.

She expressed hope that the funding earmarked for research and development proposed in the coco levy trust fund bill would “address the challenges choking the industry and the livelihood of our farmers.”

“The advancement of the coconut industry has long been hampered due to the lack of focus and funding on research and development,” Garin said.

The coco levy trust fund bill, or the Coconut Farmers and Industry Development Act, hurdled the bicameral conference committee in August.

The bill’s passage was among the priorities set by President Rodrigo Duterte in his third State of the Nation Address last July 23.

In the bicameral version of the bill, a total of 10 percent of the mandated appropriations for the Philippine Coconut Authority (PCA), the agency in charge of using the fund, has been earmarked for research and development, coconut disease control, prevention, and eradication.

Garin said the bill would help push for the “realization of scientific excellence and professionalism” in the industry’s agricultural and scientific research.

She also highlighted the bill’s feature that seek to establish coconut industry farm schools, which would address the “depleting and aging” number of farmers.

Garin cited that the average age of farmers in the country is 57 years, raising the possibility of a critical shortage of farmers in 15 years.

“The provision establishing farm schools for the coconut industry will help the incoming human resource pool of coconut farmers be more equipped and competitive,” she said.

Senator Cynthia Villar, chair of the Senate panel in the bicam, said the coco levy trust fund would have two sources — the PHP100-billion coco levy and the PHP10-billion allotment in the General Appropriations Act. About 3.5 million farmers are expected to benefit from the proposed law.

Villar said the coco levy fund would be invested in treasury bills, with the earnings earmarked for specific programs.

The final version of the bill earmarked coco levy earnings for the following programs: shared facilities, 30 percent; farm development, 30 percent; empowerment of farmers’ organization, 15 percent; scholarship, 15 percent; and health benefits, 10 percent.