Coconut farmers are receiving incentives

DAVAO CITY, Philippines — “Coconut farmers are considered as among the marginalized sectors in coconut industries,” said Project Development Officer Juvy Avalon from the Philippine Coconut Authority during the press conference at Public Information Agency last Dec. 1, 2017.

However, the coconut farmers are one of the beneficiaries of the Philippine Coconut Authority (PCA), one among the 12 agencies under the Office of the Cabinet Secretary who are implementing programs and helping the marginalized sectors.

“Ang PCA pud is dealing with the coconut farmers. So ang mga beneficiaries namo is mga coconut farmers,” Alayon said.

One benefit of the program is if the coconut farmers would give the seedling they will be paid by PCA. “PCA is into the Participatory Coconut Planting Program wherein PCA is giving incentives,” added Alayon.

Alayon explained, “Amo silang gina-encourage na mag tanom ug 50 kabuok para maenroll nato sa project then ma-reimburse ilahang expenses. 18 pesos sa pagseedlings nila unya, once planted in the field na, muhatag napud mi ug 22 pesos. So total is 40 pesos.”

The agency is then assured that they will be given good quality seedlings. “Maayo pud nga klase kay sila man namili. Dili mana sila mamili ug katong dili maayong klase,” Alayon added.

The Participatory Coconut Planting Program was implemented by the administration under Former President Gloria Arroyo and has still been existing today but more empowered by the current administration under President Rodrigo Duterte.

She said, “Gipakusgan ni sa karon nga administrasyon ug nalipay mi nga ang PCA is nakita nila ang bili sa opisina, so gidungagan among budget.” Also given that the budget given to the PCA has increased to 163 million from 50 million last 2014.

The said program is only one of the many programs that the current administration is providing. There is also a:

• Coconut Fertilization Project wherein they are distributing 4 (four) bags of agricultural grave salt in every hectare of the coconut farm.
• Kaanib Enterprise Development Project (KEDP), a livelihood program of the PCA wherein they are giving small coconut processing equipment like the Virgin Coconut Oil production, Coco Sugar Production and Coconut Coir Production Equipment. In the current administration the KEDP has expanded from 5 sites to 20 decorticating sites.

These existing but more stabilized PCA programs are still under the Biyaya ng Pagbabago which is one of the major programs of the Office of the Cabinet Secretary, which has been officially launched last December 9 at the Freedom Park by President Rodrigo ROA Duterte. (Karl John Zsygfrydd Calvez | HCDC Intern)