The government is currently studying Republic Act (RA) 11524 or the Coconut Farmers and Industry Trust Fund Act to introduce possible amendments to the law, President Ferdinand R. Marcos Jr. said on Friday.
Marcos made the pronouncement, as he visited the Century Pacific Agricultural Ventures Inc.’s coconut plant at the Millennium Industrial Economic Zone in General Santos City, Palace Press Officer Claire Castro told reporters.
“Para sa ating coconut farmers, inilatag ni Pangulong Ferdinand R. Marcos Jr. ang mga kongkretong solusyon ng pamahalaan bilang suporta sa coconut industry (For our coconut farmers, President Ferdinand R. Marcos Jr. laid out the government’s concrete solutions in support of the coconut industry),” Castro said in a Palace press briefing.
“Dagdag pa ng Pangulo, kasalukuyang inaaral ang pag-amyenda sa Coconut Farmers and Industry Fund Act para malaman ang mga susunod na hakbang para paunlanin pa ang coconut industry, (The President added that the amendment to the Coconut Farmers and Industry Fund Act is currently being studied to determine the next steps to further develop the coconut industry),” she added.
Castro said the possible amendments include the advancement of “effective and responsive” programs to accelerate the country’s coconut planting and expansion project.
RA 11524 inked in 2021 mandates the maintenance of the Trust Fund for 50 years under the Coconut Farmers in Industry Development Plan that will be formulated.
While the study is underway, discussions on the use of the coconut levy fund continue to meet the needs of the coconut farming sector, Castro said.
Castro said Marcos has also ordered the Department of Agriculture (DA), the Department of Trade and Industry (DTI), and the Philippine Coconut Authority (PCA) to further expand seed farms, communal nurseries, and distribution of hybrid seedlings.
She said the DA, the DTI, and the PCA were also instructed to look for ways to encourage investment in the coconut industry, as well as study products that can be created using coconuts.
The three agencies were also directed to closely monitor the implementation of the revised Coconut Farmers and Industry Development Plan (CFIDP) and intensify the Massive Coconut Planting and Replanting Program to increase coconut production in the country.
Marcos, on May 21, issued Memorandum Circular 84, approving and adopting the CFIDP 2024-2028, the revised version of the CFIDP 2022-2026.
The CFIDP 2024-2028 seeks to outline strategies for implementing national development programs on social protection, capacity building, farmer organization empowerment, infrastructure, and other support programs to improve the socio-economic status of Filipino coconut farmers and revitalize the coconut industry.
In August 2024, Marcos approved the additional budget for the massive planting and replanting and fertilization programs of the coconut industry for 2025, amounting to PHP1 billion and PHP2.5 billion, respectively.
This, as the PCA aims to plant 100 million coconut trees by 2028. (PNA)