Republic of the Philippines
HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES
Quezon City

Seventeenth Congress
‘Third Regular Session

§
House Bill No. 8052

Introduced by Representative Ramon V.A. “Rav” Rocamora

AN ACT
RECONSTITUTING THE GOVERNING BOARD OF THE PHILIPPINE COCONUT
AUTHORITY, PROVIDING FOR GREATER COCONUT FARMERS’ REPRESENTATION,
AMENDING FOR THE PURPOSE PRESIDENTIAL DECREE NO. 1468

EXPLANATORY NOTE

‘This bill requires urgent passage as this is a companion bill to the creation of the
Coconut Farmers’ Trust Fund that will provide for the utilization of the recovered funds
from the coco levy exacted from coconut farmers for several decades. It primarily aims
to strengthen representation of coconut farmers in the Philippine Coconut Authority's
(PCA) governing board so that they can effectively participate in the crafting and
implementation of the Coconut Farmers and Industry Development Plan.

Apart from reconstituting the Governing Board, the bill provides some framework for
choosing those who will be appointed by the President to sit in the Board be they
coconut farmer representatives, an industry leader or a non-government organization
representative-advocate of coconut farmers’ interest.

We take cognizance of the importance of this bill in our peace-building and poverty
reduction efforts especially in Mindanao and allotted a seat for ARMM farmer-
representative in the board.

Without this bill to go with the creation of the Coconut Farmers’ Trust Fund, justice to
the coconut farmers who have been long-deprived of the benefits of the coco levy fund
will be half-baked, to say the least. With huge funds that need to be managed and
utilized, some structural reforms within PCA must also be done but let us take things
one step ata time.

Quick passage of this bill is therefore earnestly sough

RAMON “RAV” M. ROCAMORA


Republic of the Philippines
HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES
Quezon City

Seventeenth Congress
Third Regular Session

8062

House Bill No.

Introduced by Representative Ramon V.A. “Rav” Rocamora

AN ACT

RECONSTITUTING THE GOVERNING BOARD OF THE PHILIPPINE COCONUT
AUTHORITY, PROVIDING FOR GREATER COCONUT FARMERS’ REPRESENTATION,
AMENDING FOR THE PURPOSE PRESIDENTIAL DECREE NO. 1468

Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives of the Philippines in Congress
assembled:

Section 1, Section 4 of Presidential Decree No. 1468 otherwise known as the “Revised
Coconut Industry Code” is hereby amended to read as follows:

“Section 4. Governing Board. The corporate powers and duties of the Authority shall
be vested in, and exercised by a Board of thirteen (13) members to be appointed by the
President as follows:

a) Four (4) representatives of the government, the Secretaries of the Department of
Agriculture (DA), Department of Finance (DOF), and the Department of Trade
and Industry (DTI); and the and the Administrator of the PCA;

b) Seven (7) representatives from the coconut farmers sector, divided into two (2)
representatives from Luzon, two (2) representatives from Visayas, and, three (3)
from Mindanao of which one must come from the Autonomous Region of Muslim
Mindanao;

©) One (1) representative from the coconut industry; and

d) One (1) representative from a non-government organization (NGO)

The President shall name the Chair of the Governing Board among the thirteen (13)
appointees."

Section 2. Selection Criteria and Process. All nominees must be Filipino citizens.
‘The PCA, the National Anti-Poverty Commission (NAPC) together with a
representative from the Office of the Government Corporate Counsel (GCG)
shall constitute a Selection Committee of three (3) members which shall


make a shortlist of nominees of no more than three from each board seat
to be filled up and submitted to the President, guided by the following
parameters:

a) Coconut farmer representatives-nominees should come from coconut
producing provinces with high poverty incidence, with long-standing
advocacy for the recovery of the coco levy fund, have established coconut
farmers’ organizations and have some effort and initiatives to establish coco-
based enterprises.

b) Industry representative nominees, must have considerable experience and
reputable track record in promoting the industry's interest and welfare,
active for the past (3) years in the industry and have set up at least one coco-
based social enterprises. A social enterprise is not merely a business for profit
undertaking but an entity that pays farm workers and laborers decent wages,
practices profit sharing, uses sustainable and environmentally sound
technologies, ploughs back profits to employ additional workers and
continuously strives to use better technologies.

©) NGO representative nominees must come from reputable NGOs that have an
appreciation of the coconut industry business and whose track record in
fighting for the cause of coconut farmers may be adduced from news reports,
judicial intervention and public statements.

The names of the nominees must be posted in the PCA website, published and
circulated to as wide an audience as possible for the public and interested parties to
know and pose objections if any. The Selection Committee shall act on the objections
and resolve it with dispatch.

Section3. Term of Office. Except for those from government who serve at the pleasure
of the President, the appointed member of the Governing Board shall hold a
term of three (3) years and may be reappointed once. Any appointment to
fill the vacancy arising from death, removal, retirement or resignation of the
representative shall only be for the unexpired term.

SECTION 4. Repealing Clause - All laws, decrees, executive orders, ordinances, rules and
regulations, or parts thereof, not consistent with the provisions of this are
hereby repealed or modified accordingly

SECTIONS. Effectivity - This Act shall take effect fifteen (15) days following the
completion of its publication in the Official Gazette or in two (2) national
newspapers of general circulation.

Approved,