With the enactment of Republic Act 11524, or the Coconut Farmers and Industry Trust Fund Act, the Department of Agriculture-Philippine Coconut Authority (DA-PCA) in Western Visayas held consultations with various stakeholders to come up with the regional coconut development plan to be submitted for the President’s approval.
Since middle of 2020, the PCA has been conducting meetings with farmer groups to collect their comments and suggestions in formulating/crafting the five-year industry development plan.
The plan includes the projects submitted by different stakeholders and Local Government Units (LGUs) for endorsement of the Regional Development Council (RDC).
“We have to finish this coconut farmers and industry plan within 120 days from the signing of this law, which is due on June this year to be submitted for President’s approval,” DA-PCA regional manager Jeffrey Delos Reyes said.
Under RA 11524, the agency is presently in the process of validating 231,000 registered coconut farmers in the region and enlisting new ones in the National Coconut Farmer Registry System (NCFRS) so they can avail of the programs.
RA 11524 also directs the PCA to complete the coconut farmers registry in 90 days from its effectivity.
“We are given the deadline to complete the list by June, so we are conducting the validation of this farmer’s registry and enrollment of those who have not yet registered because all development interventions and opportunities under this law can only be accessed by those registered in NCFRS,” Delos Reyes added.
The PCA Central Office is also preparing the Memorandum of Agreement (MOA) between PCA and all the implementing agencies such as DOST, TESDA, ATI, DTI, PCIC, NDA, BAI, PhilMECH, CDA, DBP, LBP, among others.
This process seeks to ensure coordinated implementation of the programs and proper utilization of the allocations.
The law mandates the Bureau of Treasury (BTr) to release a start-up budget of P10 billion to the trust fund in the first year; P10 billion in the second year; P15 billion in the third year; another P15 billion in the fourth year; and P25 billion during the fifth year.
Implementing agencies involved will get a part of this annual allocation to be appropriated on developing hybrid coconut seed farms and nurseries; trainings, research, marketing promotions, crop insurance, farm improvements, shared facilities for processing, credit programs, infrastructure development, empowerment of coconut farmer’s organizations, scholarship and medical programs for coconut farmers and their families.
“We have the assurance of the fund. All we have to do is to come-up with the development plan that should be anchored on One DA agenda for us to achieve the goals and objectives in developing the industry and the coconut farmers in the region,” Delos Reyes said.
Based on RA 11524, the development plan shall include community-based enterprises such as integrated processing of products and downstream products to boost coconut farmers’ incomes and scholarships and healthcare programs that benefit coconut farmers, farmworkers, and their families.
The program shall also include innovative research projects and their utilization for coconut processing, production, and distribution to improve the local coconut industry.
RM Delos Reyes said that part of the development proposals includes the establishment of processing facilities in Ibajay, Aklan; Pandan, Antique; 2nd District and Hinobaan areas in Negros Occidental.
“We have to situate all of the development interventions, particularly processing centers in areas that are proximate to the production hubs. All these will be presented to the stakeholders so that we will be guided in soliciting suggestions and opinions from the group,” RM Delos Reyes revealed. (Myleen Subang/DA-RAFIS-6)
