SP member ‘Dhoray’ appeals for support of Quezon small coconut farmers

Quezon 4th District provincial board member Rhodora ‘Dhoray’ Tan by John A. Bello LUCENA CITY – Alarmed of the continues downward spir...

Quezon 4th District provincial board member Rhodora ‘Dhoray’ Tan

by John A. Bello

LUCENA CITY – Alarmed of the continues downward spiral of the price of copra (coconut dried meat) in the market the Sangguniang Panglalawigan of Quezon has taken up the cudgel for the small coconut farmers in the province to alleviate their plight and get them their due benefits from the decades-old coconut levy fund.

SP member from Quezon 4th District Rhodora ‘Doray’ Tan rallied her colleagues in her privilege speech on Monday’s regular session to support the small coconut farmers on the present lowest price per kilo of copra at P23 and for the whole unhusked coconut at P4.70 to P7.

“Magalang ko pong hinihiling sa bumubuo ng Sangguniang Panglalawigan na mabigyan po natin ng mahalagang pansin ang usapin pong ito para sa pangkalahatang kapakanan ng ating mga magsasaka sa niyugan upang mahadlangan ang mabilis na pagbulusok ng presyo ng kopra na siyang pinagkukunan ng kanilang kabuhayan,” Tan said as she recounted about the coconut farmers from several municipalities of Quezon who came to ask for a dialogue on June 11 with Vice Gov. Sam Nantes, SP members Claro ‘Jerry’ Talaga Jr., Panlalawigan Pinuno ng Liga ng mga Barangay Fernando Llamas and Tan to air their grievances and submit their united demands and petitions.

Tan cited particularly the coconut farmer members group called Kaisahan ng mga Magsasaka sa Koprahan who demanded the following: The establishment of Genuine Small Coconut Farmers Council (GSCFC) which will directly manage and supervise the coconut levy funds; to declare the coconut levy and coco-levy assets as Genuine Small Coconut Farmers Fund; the immediate and direct distribution of coco levy funds thru cash and social benefits in the form of pension, medical and hospitalization benefits, maternity, scholarship, educational assistance, among others; to allot a portion of the coco levy funds for socio-economic and livelihood development programs to raise the income of the small coconut farmers along with their cooperatives; to set aside funds to support middle coconut enterprises, marketing and trading, development of machineries and tools to boost local production of coconuts and enhance the quality of coconut products; set aside funds for loan credit program for small coconut farmers; and under GSCFC, including UCPB, coconut oil mills and other stakeholders, will manage and supervise the entire coco levy assets only for use and benefits of small coconut farmers and the genuine development of coconut industry.

The coconut levy was an automatic deduction from the sales of copra imposed upon the country’s 1.3 million coconut farmers from 1973 to 1982 during the administration of then Pres. Ferdinand Marcos. Estimated at P9.7 billion in 1982 when the coconut levy ceased, it is thought to be worth over P100 billion today and has still unresolved cases in the Supreme Court up to this day.

SP majority floor leader, board member Isaias Ubana, also of the province’ 4th district, supported Tan and suggested concrete program for an immediate assistance to affected coconut farmers. He called on the provincial government, especially provincial agriculturist Roberto Gajo on how to lessen the impact of the steep drop of the price of copra in the local market for the small coconut farmers.

Third District board member Vincent Dominic Reyes also weighed in on the issue and cited the establishment of the Coconut Research and Development Center in Catanauan, a priority project of Gov. David Suarez which will be inaugurated before the year ends, while another board member, Raquel Mendoza, stressed the need to focus first on the steep reduction of the price of copra as the coconut levy fund is still unresolved national issue while citing the annual celebration of Niyogyugan Festival in August which she said has enhanced awareness on the situation and development of the coconut industry in the province.