New PCA administrator named

MANILA, Philippines — The Philippine Coconut Authority has named Romulo “Billy” Dela Rosa as its new administrator, replacing axed Avelino Andal who was removed from office due to corruption issues.

 

The six-member PCA Governing Board headed by Cabinet Secretary Leoncio Evasco unanimously voted for the election of Dela Rosa last week. All members were appointees of President Rodrigo Duterte.

 

The 64-year-old Camiguin native will lead the agency, which is under the Office of the Cabinet Secretary, with the primary goal of reviving the stalled industry which is facing serious problems in terms of production.

 

"The instruction of the board is very clear. We need to look into again and change the industry from what it used to be before. We have to incorporate the changes then and now," Dela Rosa said on the sidelines of his turnover ceremony yesterday (today).

 

Evasco said he is confident with the new leadership of PCA under the helm of Dela Rosa, who has a solid background in the coconut industry.

 

"There were some internal problems that had to be resolved. We lost so many months. But he [Dela Rosa] has a track record of unblemished work," he added.

 

Meanwhile, Dela Rosa said he will just let the Governance Commission for Government-Owned and Controlled Corp. (GCG) to decide on possible legal cases against Andal, who was suspended last March and eventually removed two months after.

 

Based on the investigation, Andal was found guilty for the illegal collection of P1.50 per board foot of coconut lumber harvested in some areas, which could reach up to P90 million in illegal fees.

 

Furthermore, Dela Rosa said the PCA should go back to its mandate of overseeing the total development of the coconut industry in all its aspects, including the manufacturing, trade and commerce sectors.

 

Under his term, Dela Rosa will focus on three urgent tasks namely: defining the vision and roadmap of the industry, strengthening the structure of PCA and mobilizing the necessary resources.

 

"We will synergize the entire coconut industry to realize its role in nation building. We will develop the industry strategy through broad and wide-ranging consultations with all industry stakeholders," he said.

 

The new PCA chief aims to diversify the industry’s products and markets through vertical and horizontal integration; improve contribution to the national economy by increasing domestic value addition; and increase agricultural productivity by modernizing the farming sector.

 

Dela Rosa will also focus on the stronger integration between the farm and manufacturing sectors including improved farm-to-factory logistics and infrastructure; development of cutting-edge research and development focused on improved agricultural technology and practices; and social protection among the farmers.

 

"We need to promote our coconut products to the global market. China and Russia are huge markets that we need to tap, in addition to our existing and biggest markets of Europe and the US," he said.

 

In 1982, Dela Rosa led the first farmers’ open organization to campaign against the coconut monopoly which demanded the dismantling of coconut monopoly during the martial law years.

 

Dela Rosa was also appointed by former President Joseph Estrada to be a member of the short-lived coconut levy trust fund committee which was tasked to prepare a plan for the administration and utilization of coconut levy funds upon its recovery.