A stumbling block to the immediate release of the P75-billion coconut levy fund, which can be used to bankroll programs to help farmers, will soon be removed, according to the Philippine Coconut Authority (PCA).
PCA Administrator Avelino Andal made the statement after the Confederation of Coconut Farmers’ Organization of the Philippines (Confed) has agreed to withdraw its petition before the Supreme Court (SC) to halt the release of the coco-levy fund.
“One of the seemingly major stumbling blocks to the early disposition of coco-levy fund is hopefully and finally resolved with the Confed’s declaration of withdrawal of the petition for a temporary restraining order [TRO],” Andal said in a statement.
He said Confed’s decision was made after he and the group’s representatives agreed on what needs to be done to help farmers and develop the coconut industry.
“With this development, President Duterte can now dispose without much legal impediment, considering that he promised the electorate, the farmers in particular, that he will release the coco-levy fund in 30 days,” Andal said.
Charlie Avila, executive director and spokesman of Confed, said the petition they made was directed against the previous administration “for reasons quite publicly discussed.” Avila added that the current administration has Confed’s support.
“We, in Confed, believe that we have at last a government that means business for the benefit of coconut farmers and the development of the industry. We are willing to withdraw our petition before the Court to give PCA a freer hand in governance,” Avila said.
The Presidential Commission on Good Government disclosed that the coco-levy fund that was collected from coconut farmers from 1973 to 1982 has increased to P75 billion.
Avila said Confed believes that the PCA has the legal mandate to manage the fund as part of its job to oversee the coconut industry.
In September last year, Malacañang ordered the Department of Agriculture (DA) to file a bill that would expedite the release of the P75-billion coco-levy fund to help farmers fight cocolisap or coconut-scale insect infestation.
Agriculture Secretary Emmanuel F. Piñol said President Duterte instructed him and Presidential Liaison Officer Adelino B. Sitoy to work with Congress to fast-track the passage of the measure.
In end-November, after assuming office, Andal urged lawmakers to fast-track the consolidation of bills for the passage of a law for the handling of the coconut-levy fund. Andal said he is hopeful that the P75-billion fund would be released by March this year.
Confed filed a petition before the SC in May 2015 seeking the nullification of Executive Orders (EO) 179 and 180 that dwell on the inventory and privatization, as well as the reconveyance and utilization, of coco-levy assets, respectively. Avila said the EOs would result to a new plunder of coco-levy funds.
The SC ruled in favor of Confed, issuing a TRO in the use, control and release of the P75-billion coco-levy fund.
The TRO in favor of Confed orders the halting of EO 179 (Providing the Administrative Guidelines for the Inventory and Privatization of Coco Levy Assets) and EO 180 (Providing the Administrative Guidelines for the Reconveyance and Utilization of Coco Levy Assets for the Benefit of the Coconut Farmers and the Development of the Coconut Industry) both issued on March 18, 2015.