Duterte vetoes bill strengthening Philippine Coconut Authority

MANILA, Philippines – President Rodrigo Duterte has vetoed the measure that would further strengthen the Philippine Coconut Authority (PCA) board, which was assigned to manage the coco levy fund.

“The Senate President’s office has received a letter from the Office of the President. Let us ask the secretary to read the message and then the veto message itself,” Senate President Vicente Sotto III said in a Senate session on Friday.

The veto message was received by the Senate on Friday.

“Feb. 8, 2019, the honorable Senate President and members of the Senate, ladies and gentlemen, we respectfully transmit hereto with the veto message of President Rodrigo Duterte on consolidated Senate Bill No. 1976 and House Bill No. 8852 entitled An Act to Further Strengthen the Philippine Coconut Authority (PCA),” read the letter.

“Amending Presidential Decree No. 1468 otherwise known as revised Coconut Industry Code as amended in appropriating funds therefore pursuant to provisions of Article 6 Section 7 of the 1987 Constitution, respectfully yours, signed Salvador Medialdea,” it added.

SB 1976 or the Strengthened Philippine Coconut Authority (PCA) Law is aimed at amending the Presidential Decree 1468 or the Revised Coconut Industry Code of 1978 which required the reconstituted PCA board to have six farmer representatives, four from the government, and one from the industry.

The measure will provide coconut farmers with greater representation in the PCA Board.

The six farmer representatives will come from Luzon, Visayas, and Mindanao.

Meanwhile, representatives from the government include the Agriculture Secretary (chairperson), the Finance Secretary (vice chairperson), and the Budget Secretary and PCA Administrators as members.

The industry representative would come from key players in the coconut industry./ gsg