Lawmaker seeks passage of coconut development act

MANILA, Philippines - An administration lawmaker has sought the enactment of the Coconut Industry Development Act of 2011 that would develop the industry as one of the most profitable drivers of the economy.

AAMBIS-OWA partylist Rep. Sharon Garin, author of the measure, said the proposed law will provide the overall strategic guidance to the industry and the Philippine Coconut Authority (PCA).

 “Carrying over 24 million direct and indirect stakeholders in over 69 provinces in the country, there is a genuine need for strong and robust policy and institutional foundations to support and guide the multitude of activities, operations, and interactions within the coconut industry,” Garin said.

She stressed the law which created PCA was enacted way back in 1970s and reflects the realities of around 30 years ago.

 “But the situation of the coconut industry and the conditions of the farmers then are vastly different from today. What we need now are corporate powers, regulatory powers, and a strong research and development strategy,” she said.

House Bill 4179 aims to revitalize the coconut industry primarily by equipping the PCA with solid and multifaceted mandate, which focuses on developmental, governmental, regulatory, research and development, and corporate powers and functions.

Furthermore, acknowledging the importance of the key stakeholders - the coconut farmers - the measure provides extension services and marketing assistance to boost their yield and expand their income. It also provides intermediation and arranging services for investment, financing, and trade, among others.

The party list representative said that the main objective of the bill is to create a functional and economically self-sustaining government corpo-ration. A highlight of the bill is the removal of corporate restriction of PCA to make it a profitable, sustainable, and development-oriented agency.

Right now, PCA only has a yearly subsidy of around P500 million, equivalent to a mere 1.5 percent of the total allocation of the Department of Agriculture. Despite its best effort to implement programs and pro-jects for the industry, PCA can only do so much with its meager budget.