The biggest organization of coconut farmers in the country stated that if the current administration will not come up with legislation that provides a mechanism for the utilization of the coco levy fund for the benefit of all coconut farmers, then they are open to supporting a transformation council that will form a transition government to replace the Aquino administration.
Quite an apropos photo… The Biggest Coconut
This was stated by more than 150 farmer-leaders who convened at a Coconut Farmers National Conference in a hotel in Makati City from February 17 – 19, 2015. The theme of the conference was “Coconut Farmers’ Final Call on the Coco Levy Funds’ Utilization and Ownership,” which expresses their disgust with the government’s dilly-dallying in enacting a law to utilize the coco levy fund for their benefit.
The Conference was convened by the Confederation of Coconut Farmers’ Organizations, or CONFED, the biggest organization of coconut farmers in the country composed of the Philippine Coconut Producers Federation (Cocofed), the Philippine Association of Small Coconut Farmers’ Organizations (PASCFO), and Pambansang Koalisyon ng mga Samahang Magsasaka at Manggagawa sa Niyugan (PKSMMN).
Villasenor
“The Supreme Court has already decided that the coco levy funds are ‘owned by the government to be used only for the benefit of all coconut farmers and the development of the coconut industry,’” said Efren Villaseñor, chairman of the Confederation of Coconut Farmers Organizations of the Philippines, or CONFED, that spearheaded the conference.
He said that what matters now is to implement this decision and to craft a law that shall serve as a mechanism to manage the coco levy funds with the interests of the farmers at the forefront.
Villasenor acknowledged that there are initiatives at the Senate and House of Representatives to craft a law that will manage the utilization of the coco levy funds. However, these do not seem to reflect the sentiments of the coconut farmers. For one, what they seek to establish is a mere committee that oversees the utilization of funds. Second, they humor certain government agencies that have nothing to do with the coconut industry but, surprisingly, are keen on becoming members of the committee. Third, the proposed selection of coconut farmer-representatives in the committee is not through democratic election by the coconut farmers themselves but through nomination by government officials for appointment by the President.
The Gardener – Charlie Avila
According to Charlie Avila, Executive Director of CONFED, their group has drafted their own version of a bill that serves as a mechanism for the utilization of the coco levy funds. He said that his group is pursuing the establishment of the Philippine Coconut Farmers Foundation (PCFF), a GOCC (government.-owned-and-controlled-corporation) that shall manage the Coconut Industry Trust Fund (CITF) which is derived from the funds and assets of the coconut levy funds. These funds consist of the 753,848,312 CIIF Preferred SMC shares and their accumulated dividends; the United Coconut Farmers Bank (UCPB); the CIIF Oil Mills; the 14 Holding Corporations; the United Coconut Planters Life Assurance Corporation (COCOLIFE); and all their respective assets, subsidiaries or their cash equivalent if sold, and all their affiliates amounting to a roughly estimated value of more than 200 billion pesos.
Avila said that with such a gargantuan amount and assets of the coco levy fund, a GOCC foundation is the most appropriate agency to handle the funds, which will ensure that it will not be wasted. The board of directors of the foundation will ensure that the coco levy funds will not fall into the hands of Napoles-like NGOs or into the hands of politicians or government officials who want to dip their hands into the funds.
“The coconut farmers have been long been struggling on their ownership and management of the coco levy funds. It is but just that a law is crafted that represents their interests and sentiments,” said Avila.
“The coconut farmers have long waited for the proper utilization of the coco levy fund. If the present government cannot enact a law that is truly representative of the demands of the coconut farmers, then the farmers are willing to support a revolutionary council that will replace this administration,” said Gerry de la Serna, a Mindanao peasant leader..
Various groups are demanding that President Aquino step down from office for its cover-up of the Mamasapano operation where 44 Special Action Force combatants were killed. One of these is the National Transformation Council (NTC) that has called for President Aquino to step down. The NTC aims to establish a provisional government composed of leaders from various sectors and to enact primarily electoral and economic reforms. FINIS