Senate ratifies coco levy bill anew

For the second time on Wednesday, the Senate ratified the coco levy fund bill.

Senator Cynthia Villar, chair of the Senate committee on agriculture and food, presented to the plenary the new bicameral conference committee report on the bill.

No senator objected when a motion to ratify the measure was made on the floor.

The bill had been ratified by both the Senate and the House of Representatives and submitted to President Rodrigo Duterte for signature, but Congress decided to recall the measure to avert a possible veto by President Rodrigo Duterte.

READ: Congress recalls coco levy bill

Senate Majority Leader Juan Miguel Zubiri earlier explained that they had to recall the measure because of two main issues — the composition of a council that will manage the coco levy fund and the lack of a sunset provision for the P10-billion funding for coconut farmers.

Once ratified by both chambers, the new bicam report on the bill will be transmitted to the President again for signature.

“Hindi na [ma-ve-veto]. Naayos nang lahat [ng issues] (It won’t be vetoed. We fixed all the issues),” Villar earlier told reporters when the bicam approved the second version of the measure. /ee

READ: Bicam approves coco levy fund bill anew