The House of Representatives has set its sights on voting for third and final reading the bill declaring the coconut levy assets as a trust and providing for its management and utilization.

Earlier, the Lower Chamber approved House Bill 8136 on second reading to assure the coconut industry, especially farm workers, vast improvement in terms of modernization and better livelihood opportunities.

HB 8136 is a consolidation of 16 different legilsatrive proposals filed by Deputy Speaker Michael Romero (1Pacman Partylist) and Rufus Rodriguez (CDI, Cagayan de Oro City), together with Reps. Jericho Jonas Nograles (PBA, Partylist); Jayjay Suarez (Lakas-CMD, Quezon); Aleta Suarez (NPC, Quezon); Wilfredo Mark Enverga (NPC, Quezon); Romeo Jalosjos Jr. (PDP-Laban, Zamboanga del Sur) and Ian Pau Dy (NPC, Isabela), among other lawmakers.

The bill proposes to unite all assets and benefits coming from the coconut levy which will be held in a Trust Fund to be used to rehabilitate and modernize the coconut industry and ultimately benefit coconut farmers and their family.

In his bill, Suarez underscored the significant role that the coconut industry plays in economic and agricultural development of the country.

“However, it is saddening that the support obtained by our coconut workers from the government is inversely proportional to their contributions to economic development,” said the former Quezon governor.

Romero cited the Supreme Court ruling declaring the coconut levy fund and coconut levy assets as government funds that must be disbursed only to benefit coconut farmers and develop the industry.

For his part, Rodriguez said it is high time the funds are “appropriated for the benefit of the industry and the workers who toiled to make a major contribution to Philippine economy.

The bill directs the Philippine Coconut Authority to submit to the Office of the President a Coconut Framers and Industry Development Plan in order to pinpoint how the funds will be spent.

Romero said the bill also provides for the annual utilization of the trust fund to include shared facilities program; farm improvement through diversification and or intercropping; development of hybrid coconut seed farms and nurseries; empowerment of coconut farmers organizations and their cooperatives and scholarship program.

On the other hand, Nograles said the annual utilization of the funds will also guarantee health and medical program for farmers; infrastructure development, training of farmers in farm schools and planting and replanting activities.