COMBINED efforts from Filipino agricultural farmers and entrepreneurs through initiating a bigger mass movement is deemed important in crafting a roadmap which will address concerns on the proposed Coco Levy Law, an official said.
For Romulo de la Rosa, Philippine Coconut Authority (PCA) administrator, Filipino farmers from the regions should consolidate all concerns and must act as bigger group in the country, as they become a huge part in the roadmap creation for the Coco Levy Law.
“Kinahanglan jud ang roadmap kay kini ang mu-guide sa atoa kung unsaon paggamit sa coco levy money para sa mga projects (The roadmap is needed because this would guide us on how to use the coco levy money for the projects),” de la Rosa said during the launching of “Biyaya ng Pagbabago sa Niyugan” on Tuesday, August 28, 2018 at PCA office, Bago Oshiro, Davao City.
“Ang roadmap mahitabo six months after mahimong effective ang bala-od kay kinahanglan pa na siya ipublish bag-o himuan na ug plano (The roadmap will be created six months after the law becomes effective because it must be published first before the plan will be made),” de la Rosa said.
He added the proposed law will be signed this year, and the crafting of the roadmap will begin in 2019.
De la Rosa underscored the need for the input from the farmers and from other players in the industry to have a good roadmap.
He said the meeting attended by coconut farmers and coconut regional officers from all over the country is already a good avenue in addressing the concerns of the coconut industry stakeholders.
The P100-billion allocation of the coconut levy trust fund is expected to benefit around 3.5 million coconut farmers nationwide.