Kiko wants coco levy issue discussed in Duterte’s Sona

Photo from Kiko Pangilinan’s Facebook page

Senator Francis “Kiko” Pangilinan on Thursday said he wants the proposed creation of the Coconut Levy Trust Fund discussed in the coming State of the Nation Address (Sona) of President Rodrigo Duterte.

Pangilinan said one of the campaign promises of Duterte in 2016 was the immediate passage of a bill that will create the Coconut Levy Trust Fund, and on the President’s second Sona, the public is entitled to hear about its update.

Pangilinan added that the bill related to the formation of the Coconut Levy Trust Fund remains pending in Congress after a year in office of Duterte.

“Isang taon na ang lumipas, ngunit hindi pa rin ito naipapatupad gaya ng inaasahan (One year has passed but [this measure] has not been implemented as expected),” the senator, who previously headed the Senate committee on agriculture, said in a statement.

“Umaasa tayo na sa nalalapit na State of the Nation Address ni Pangulong Duterte ay itutulak niya ang mabilis na pagpasa ng panukalang batas para sa Coco Levy Trust Fund at hihikayatin ang mga kasamahan natin sa Kongreso na gawin itong prayoridad,” the senator said.

(We are hoping that in the coming State of the Nation Address, President Duterte will push for the swift passage of the Coco Levy Trust Fund and urge our colleagues in Congress to make it a priority.)

Senate Bill No. 1233 or the Coconut Farmers and Industry Development Act aimed to advance the coconut industry by turning the coco levy funds into a perpetual trust fund and only its annual interest would be utilized. It would also create an 11-member Trust Fund Committee headed by the secretaries of finance and agriculture.

“Apatnapu’t anim na taon na mula nang ipataw sa ating magniniyog ang coconut levy. Marami-raming pasko, bagong taon at birthday na tayong napapaligaya ng buko salad mula sa magniniyog. Huwag na sana nating paabutin hanggang limampung taon pa ang kanilang paghihintay,” Pangilinan said.

(It has been 46 years since the coconut levy was imposed to our farmers. We have already enjoyed buco salads from them in many Christmases, New Years, and birthdays. Let us not make them wait until 50 years.)

“Sana matapos na ang deka-dekadang nang kalbaryo ng ating mga magniniyog. Pagkakataon na nila upang makabangon mula sa kahirapan. Oras na para magtrabaho. Ipasa na ang ang Coco Levy Trust Fund Bill,” he added.

(We hope our coconut farmers’ decades of suffering would finally end. Now it’s their chance to rise from poverty. Now is the time to work. Pass the Coco Levy Trust Fund Bill now.) JPV/rga