CITY OF SAN FERNANDO – The Kilusang Magbubukid ng Pilipinas (KMP) and a group of coconut planters called Coco Levy Fund Ibalik sa Amin (CLAIM) expressed yesterday protest against the Aquino government’s alleged plans to use the multi-billion coco levy funds by inserting a “coco levy-funded project” in the 2014 national budget.
“Our worst nightmare is turning into reality. The Aquino government is hell-bent on using the coco levy funds without the consent and approval of the real owners, and against the interest of small coconut farmers themselves,” says KMP Deputy Secretary General Willy Marbella.
Marbella, also CLAIM national coordinator, said that under the proposed P2.3 billion budget of the Philippine Coconut Authority (PCA) for next year, P305 million were allocated for the establishment of “Agro-Industrial Hubs” in five regions, namely, Region IV-A – Calabarzon, Region V- Bicol, Region VI – Western Visayas, Region VIII – Eastern Visayas, and Region IX – Zamboanga Peninsula or P61 million for each region.
He recalled that last March, Agriculture Sec. Proceso Alcala said that each “agri-industrial estate” would have as its core a coconut-processing center, at least five of which would be established in major coconut producing areas. The coconut-processing center would cost P50 million, with financing to come from the coco levy fund, he noted.
Marbella noted Alcala as saying that the main source of funding for this project would be the coco-levy fund that was supposedly up for release.
“Once again, the government will provide the infrastructure for the benefit of big guns in the coconut industry at the expense of small coconut farmers. It is totally revolting that P305 million of small coconut farmers’ money will be spent for the so-called agro-industrial estate project that will only benefit local and foreign agri-businesses,” Marbella said.
He also stressed that ”Alcala’s project is against the real intent of the Supreme Court decision to render social justice to small coconut farmers.”
The KMP and CLAIM decried reports of ”a minimum P11 million ‘tongpats’ for each project.”
“In March, Alcala himself said that each project will cost only P50 million. After five months, the project already costs P61 million. Obviously, there is already a minimum of P11-million ‘tongpats’ for each project,” Marbella noted.
He lamented that “in spite of the pork barrel scandal rocking the agriculture department, Aquino and Alcala still have the gall to use our money.”
Marbella reminded the Aquino government and Alcala that the government is “only a trustee” of the multi-billion coco levy funds.
“The genuine and legitimate owners of the billions of coco levy funds are the small coconut farmers. The funds were forcibly exacted from them during the Marcos regime,” he said.
The KMP and CLAIM called on all small coconut farmers to oppose the administration’s plan to use the coco levy funds.
“Small coconut farmers should fight tooth and nail to frustrate Aquino’s plan to dip his hands over the coco levy funds,” Marbella added.
