Church hits government inaction on coco levy

DAVAO CITY — Davao Archbishop Fernando Capalla assailed yesterday government’s inaction on the coconut levy fund amounting to over P130 billion which until now has remained unavailable to the farmers.

"The amount should have already benefited the thousands of our poor farmers. But until now government has not given to the farmers what is due them," Capalla told The STAR yesterday.

Representatives of the different coconut farmer groups met here over the weekend for the 8th Bishops-Ulama-Priests-Pastors-Farmers-Lumad Conference (Buppfaluc) to once more push for the speedy recovery of the coconut levy fund.

Aside from calling for an audience with President Arroyo, the participants to the forum also urged the immediate issuance of an executive order establishing the Coconut Farmers Development Trust Fund that would make the funds readily available to farmers.

Capalla said he would be joining a delegation of Catholic bishops today in a meeting with the President at Malacañang. "I do not know exactly what we will be discussing with the President, but I hope to bring up the issue of the coco levy fund with her, especially on the matters that were discussed during our recent meeting with the farmers," the bishop said.

In a statement yesterday, the coconut farmers called on the President to exercise prudence in selecting government nominees to all coconut levy-funded corporations, such as the United Coconut Planters Bank and San Miguel Corp.

The farmers insisted that "due and equal representation" should be accorded them, they being the "rightful owners of the fund."

They also asked the Philippine Coconut Authority to stop creating "divisions" within those in the industry in violation of the principles of the International Labor Organization. "What the PCA should do is propagate sustainable development of the coconut industry for the benefit of the small coconut farmers and farm workers," they added.

The Davao archbishop reminded the government that the Supreme Court had declared late last year that the P130-billion coconut levy fund is public funds, Capalla said. Also last year the different coconut farmer groups signed a joint manifesto of unity with Coconut Federation (Cocofed) officials led by former Ambassador Eduardo Cojuangco Jr. and Zamboanga City Mayor Ma. Clara Lobregat, asking for the immediate release of the funds through a trust fund.

"There have been so many conflicting suggestions regarding the mechanism of the trust fund. What the farmers want is (no more delays)," the bishop said, adding that the farmers are open to an amicable settlement rather than wait for the final resolution of the legal cases involving the release of the funds.