To ‘rebuild’ coco industry in EV Sec. Pangilinan seeks LGUs’ support

TACLOBAN CITY, Philippines – Secretary Francis Pangilinan, presidential assistant for food security and agricultural modernization, has asked for the support of local government units and other line agencies in rebuilding the coconut industry in Eastern Visayas, devastated by typhoon Yolanda in 2013.

Pangilinan, through the Task Force-Yolanda Coconut Rehabilitation and Recovery Program, said total recovery effort is needed for this region, but there is now insufficient fund to finance the entire program, despite the support of the international non-government organizations.

“We will always be difficult in terms of rebuilding the entire coconut industry, thus we really need supports from our partners in the LGUs, as this task of rehabilitation entails cooperation (from all stakeholders),” he said.

Samar Governor Sharee Anne Tan delos Santos, in her presentation to the coconut farmers in a meeting with Pangilinan, said the towns of Basey, Sta. Rita, Marabut and Pinabacdao suffered the most Yolanda-destruction of coconut plantation in the province, and these are now the target of rehabilitation under this program.

The governor said Samar province has 2,000 hectares that has been targeted for planting with coconut trees, together with intercropping and livestock programs. She had requested the Philippine Coconut Authority for a fund of more than P76.7 million in addition to the provincial government’s counterpart of at least P3.65 million.

Pangilinan said his office had already turned-over an initial P23 million fund for the coconut recovery program in the province.

PCA-8 regional manager Edilberto Nierva, in a separate interview, said tthe PCA has already distributed and planted some 1.8 million seedlings of coconut, with 2.9 million seedlings more set to be distributed around the region.

The Task Force has been targeting 81,000 hectares for the planting of coconut seedlings and other fruit bearing trees, as another alternative to address the dearth in coconut production.

“We are currently working on with our LGUs to give an alternative livelihood through intercropping and livestock for coconut farmers and other farmers affected by Yolanda,” Pangilinan told The Freeman.

Another continuing task is the Focused Intervention Project that has been aimed at mitigating the possible outbreak of Rhinoceros beetle infestation, and salvage the economic value of the fallen and crownless coconut trees for cash or building materials for their owners.

A total of 228,045 totally damaged trees were processed so far. The project covers Tacloban City and the towns of Palo, Tanauan and Tolosa. A total of 71,065 of these trees were sliced into timbers to be used for the project’s shelter assistance component to help the poor farmers whose houses were destroyed by Yolanda.

For the speedy replacement of the totally-damaged trees, coconut seedlings have been distributed for free. Out of the 1.8 million seedlings contracted for this project component, 745,674 quality seedlings were already distributed to 3,486 farmer-beneficiaries.

Planting of coconut seedlings and assorted cash crops, and fertilizing the surviving trees started immediately after the clearing operation, five months after Yolanda, said Pangilinan, adding that, in 10 years time, the destroyed trees will be replaced.