Government agencies will soon be required by President Duterte to patronize coconut products in their projects and events in a bid to help local coconut farmers.
The President has given the green light to the crafting of an executive order on the use of coconut products as among the measures to mitigate the impact of plummeting copra prices in the country, according to presidential spokesman Savaldor Panelo.
Other measures tackled in the Cabinet meeting include the county’s compliance with the law mandating the inclusion of coco methyl ester content in biodiesel products in the country.
“The new administrator of the Philippine Coconut Authority, Gen. Benjie Madrigal, provided recommendations on behalf of Secretary William Dar for said purpose, such as the full compliance of the two percent coconut methyl ester blend as mandated by the Biofuels Act of 2006 and inclusion of a proposed bill on the matter in the President’s priority legislative agenda,” Panelo said.
Also discussed was the “issuance of an executive order addressed to government agencies to patronize food and non-food coconut products in government projects and events,” Panelo said.
“These were approved by the President,” he said.
Panelo said the presentation by the Department of Agriculture on the mitigation measures sought “to address the declining price of copra.”
The latest government steps aim help coconut farmers affected by the low prices of their products.
Under the Republic Act No. 9367 or the Biofuels Act of 2006, local biofuel products must be blended with coco methyl ester derived from copra. During the first year of the law, diesel was blended with one percent CME. It was raised to two percent in 2007 and has remained at that level ever since.
Biofuel industry stakeholders previously pushed for the gradual increase of the biodiesel component in local products from two percent to five percent by 2021.
Meanwhile, the proposed executive order on the national land use was also discussed in the Cabinet meting.
National Economic and Development Authority Undersecretary Adora Navarro tackled the salient points of the draft executive order that aims “to provide a mechanism that will harmonize the land use policies of government,” according to Panelo.
“The draft shall be submitted to concerned agencies of the government in order that the latter can comment on the same, and their comments be duly considered,” he added.
Last December, the President approved the drafting of the EO on sustainable use and management of land resources while waiting for the congressional passage of a law on the matter.
Duterte asked Congress to pass National Land Use Act in his State-of-the-Nation Address last July. He said a science-based national land use plan would serve as basis for the local government units in crafting respective development plans, and help disperse economic activities to the countryside.
The proposed land use law has been a priority measure endorsed by the President to Congress since 2017. The government sought to establish a national land use policy that will address the competing land requirements for food, housing business, and environmental conservation. (Genalyn Kabiling)
