Coconut farmers press for representation in UCPB board

MANILA, Philippines - Coconut farmers are protesting the removal of farmer representation in the board of the United Coconut Planters Bank (UCPB).

“Since the coconut farmers are the beneficial owners of the UCPB, it is but proper that our representatives sit on the UCPB board,” said Efren Villaseñor, president of the Pambansang Koalisyon ng mga Magsasaka at Manggagawa sa Niyugan (PKSMMAN).

Villaseñor said that in 2005, the Sandiganbayan had already ruled that the coconut levy funds and all assets acquired through said funds are owned by the government “in trust for the coconut farmers.”

The UCPB is one of the sequestered companies. Its shares were acquired using the so-called coco levy funds of which the farmers are claiming ownership.

In a recent announcement, Malacañang said it has approved a new set of nominees to the UCPB Board.

They are Menardo Jimenez as UCPB chairman; former Sen. Ramon Magsaysay Jr.; banker Ramon Sy; Higinio Macadaeg Jr.; former Bangko Sentral ng Pilipinas official Cristina Orbeta; Angela Ignacio; Danilo Pulido; Karlo Estavillo; Silo Divina; Jose Poblete; Ral Del Mar, Juan Andres Bautista, Richard Amurao, Arthur Bautista, and John Young.

Sy, Orbeta and Estabillo were recommended for re-election to the board.

Villaseñor noted that none of the nominees is a coconut farmer or one who represents coconut farmers.

Datu Mao Andong Jr., president of the Coconut Reform Alliance (Copra), said “this development is a sad day for all coconut farmers and coconut farmer groups and cooperatives throughout the country because none of the soon-to-be elected directors of UCPB are coconut farmers or representatives of coconut farmer groups.”

From the term of President Corazon Aquino up to the previous administrations, farmers’ representation has always been included in the UCPB board.

“With this development, the administration appears to be insensitive to the feelings of the coconut farmers. In the past, the Philippine Commission on Good Government (PCGG) had always recommended to the President the election of coconut farmer representatives in the UCPB board,” Oscar Solidor, secretary general of Lakas ng Magsasakang Pilipino (LMP), said.

Prior to the new appointments, Villaseñor, Andong, Solidor and Prudencio Garcia represented the coconut farmers’ interest in UCPB.

The four coconut farmers’ representatives said they do not mind being replaced, as long as coconut farmers continue to be represented in the UCPB board.

Andong noted that the UCPB board now has five lawyers including two incumbent PCGG commissioners.

Andong said that Malacañang should continue to give the coconut farmers, and not lawyers, adequate representation at the bank since coconut farmers are the beneficial owners of the sequestered shares.