TAGBILARAN CITY, Bohol, August 19 (PIA) -- Philippine Coconut Authority (PCA) Administrator and retired general Benjamin Madrigal Jr. flew to Bohol on August 17 to lead the regional launching of the Coconut Farmers and Industry Development Plan (CFIDP).
The five-year-roadmap is an opportunity to allow coconut farmers in the Philippines to compete and be at par with other coconut-producing countries in the world market.

Set in time to mark the annual Philippine Coconut Industry Week celebrated every August 23-30, the PCFIDP rollout marks the coconut industry revolution which was envisioned following the signing into law last year by former Pres. Rodrigo Duterte of Republic Act 11524, known as the Coconut Farmers and Industry Trust Fund Act (CFITFA).

The law, according to Madrigal, allows for the utilization and management of the P75 billion coconut levy funds.

It was between 1971 to 1982 when then President Ferdinand Marcos ordered the collection of levies, charges, and taxes from coconut growers for the sale of copra to fund the coconut industry research.

Madrigal said when they presented the CFIDP to President Ferdinand “Bongbong” Marcos, Jr., the new president ordered for the quick implementation of the activities and programs designed to raise the income of coconut farmers and rehabilitate and elevate the industry to be at par with the world.

CFIDP aims to increase the income and productivity of the 2.5 million coconut farmers in the country, ease the Filipinos out of poverty and rehabilitate and modernize the Philippine coconut industry, through the plan’s various programs and components to be implemented by 14 other government agencies partnering with the PCA.

The CFIDP would utilize P10 billion in its first year, another P10 billion on its second year, P15 billion on the third and fourth years, and the remaining P25 billion on the fifth year of the plan’s implementation.

These components include social protection such as medical benefits with Philippine Health Insurance Corporation, crop insurance with the Philippine Crop Insurance Corporation, and trainings and farm schools development and implementation with the Technical Education and Skills Development Authority and the Department of Agriculture’s Agricultural Training Institute.

Also in the coconut levy trust fund utilization plan are the following: the coconut farmers organization and development with the Cooperative Development Authority; hybridization program with the Department of Science and Technology’s Philippine Center for Agriculture, Aquatic Natural Resources Research and Development; and community-based farm enterprise development with the Philippine Carabao Center, National Dairy Authority, Bureau of Animal Industry.

Still in the five-year plan is the setting up of integrated coconut processing and downstream products with the Philippine Center for

Post-harvest and Mechanization, and support services with Land Bank of the Philippines and the Development Bank of the Philippines.
The plan also includes research, marketing and marketing promotions with the Department of Trade and Industry and the Department of Public Works and Highways as well as innovative research projects and practical applications in production and distribution. (RAHC/PIA7 Bohol)