Duterte OKs creation of dev't plan for coconut farmers, industry

MANILA, Philippines — President Rodrigo Duterte has approved the coconut farmers and industry development plan, which aims to modernize and strengthen the industry.

The approval of the plan is contained in Executive Order No. 172 signed by Duterte last June 2.

The crafting of the plan is in compliance with the Coconut Farmers and Industry Trust Fund Act, which required the Philippine Coconut Authority (PCA) to develop a guide on how to use the funding. The law was signed by Duterte last year.

"There is a need to approve the coconut farmers and industry development plan to increase overall productivity and income of coconut farmers, alleviate poverty and achieve the twin objectives of rehabilitating and modernizing the coconut industry to attain social equity," Duterte said in the order.

The plan will be implemented by the PCA and other concerned state agencies. It will be reviewed every year to ensure its effective implementation. To ensure that strategies and programs are responsive to evolving industry needs, the PCA, concerned agencies and stakeholders are expected to revisit the plan every five years, subject to the approval of the president.

Funding for the programs under the plan will be taken from the coconut farmers and industry trust fund and from the regular budgets of implementing agencies. The trust fund shall be separate from the regular funds appropriated to the PCA.

The coconut farmers and industry development plan provides national programs to establish community-based enterprises; provide social protection for coconut farmers, farm workers and their families; organize and develop coconut farmers; conduct innovative research on coconut processing, production and distribution; and integrate the processing of coconut and downstream products.

The Philippines ranks as the world’s number one exporter of coconut products, with average export revenues of P91.4 billion, from 2014 to 2018, according to a recent statement issued by the agriculture department. Davao, Zamboanga Peninsula, and Northern Mindanao are the top coconut-producing regions in the Philippines.