Republic of the Philippines
HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES
Quezon City, Metro Manila

Seventeenth Congress
Second Regular Session

House Bill No. 7159

Introduced by ALONA Representative
Anna Marie Villaraza-Suarez

atory Note

The State recognizes the important role played by the coconut industry in our national economy
as one of the principal industries and one of the largest income earners of the country. According to the
latest data from the Philippine Statistics Authority (PSA), coconut was considered as a major food and
non-food products source and an industrial crop of the country for the first quarter of 2017.

‘The Province of Quezon is considered as the top producing province amongst the 67 coconut
producing provinces in the country. In fact, coconut production in Quezon was estimated at 3.12 million
‘metric tons in the first quarter of 2017. Based on the PSA report, it shares 78% of the production in the
CALABARZON with the highest hectarage planted to coconut in the total of 379,435 hectares. Beyond
these figures and statistics, coconut farming has always been a significant aspect of the Quezonians”
way of life and culture and even in the entire CALABARZON. Moreover, it is a core area for industry
development due to consistent and continuing commitment of local executives, convergence of national
‘government agencies and on top of market opportunities being the hub of the industry in Luzon.

Despite the significance of coconut production in Quezon, there are neither institutions nor
facilities in the province devoted for the innovation and generation of novel technologies and processes
related to coconut production, processing and enterprise development. Although the Philippine Coconut
Authority (PCA) currently operates three research centers in Albay, Davao and Zamboanga” no such
research center is geographically accessible for farmers in the Province of Quezon and in nearby
provinces and municipalities of Luzon. The PCA research center in Albay will not serve the purpose,
since it is focused on biotechnology and generated research outputs are restricted for adoption in the
Bicol region which is in quarantine because of the Cadang-cadang disease problem. As such, the
establishment of research complex/acilities in Quezon province is of paramount importance to cater to
the provisions of industry development not only in Quezon province, but the entire Luzon area since it
is strategically located accessible in major coconut regions (MIMAROPA, Region V and IV-A).

» http://www. psa.gov.ph/non-food/coconut
https://www.google.com/url?hi=en8&q=http://www.pca.da.gov.ph/cononutrde/index.php/researchcenters&s
ource=gmail&ust-1502776417423000&usg=AFQ|CNFlySH868_f923pIhqEsVdfiKApeg,



Research is the key to sustain development and access to these findings and generated technologies of
the impoverished coconut farmers shall ensure sustainable and vibrant coconut industry.

This bill secks to guarantee that Quezon remains the top producing province by revitalizing
coconut-based farming and enterprise development, through the establishment of a research and
development facility that is geographically accessible to the farmers and producers. This coconut
research center shall bridge the gap between people and science-based innovations, on one hand, and
practical knowledge and experience, on the other. This shall act as a hub for technology transfer and
convergence among farmers, researchers and scientific experts. Through this, the coconut industry in
Quezon, as well as in the CALABARZON and adjacent regions will have access to modern and cost-
effective ways of farming that will definitely provide accelerated industry development. This will result
to increase agricultural outputs and shall be translated to higher income coupled with diminishing

poverty incidence in coconut growing communities

ANNA MARIE VILLARAZA-SUAREZ

Early approval of this bill is earnestly sought.


Republic of the Philippines
HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES
Quezon City, Metro Manila

Seventeenth Congress
Second Regular Session

59

House Bill No.

Introduced by ALONA Representative
Anna Marie Villaraza-Suarez

AN ACT ESTABLISHING A COCONUT RESEARCH AND DEVELOPMENT CENTER IN
THE PROVINCE OF QUEZON, AND APPROPRIATING FUNDS THEREFOR

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

Section 1. Establishment of the Quezon Coconut Research Center. ~ This Act as proposed shall
establish the “Quezon Coconut Research Center” (hereinafter referred to as the “Center”) which shall
be under the management of the Philippine Coconut Authority. The Center shall be based in the
Municipality of Catanauan, Province of Quezon and shall serve as the learning hub of various state
universities in Quezon and adjacent provinces.

Section 2. Objectives. — The Center shall have the following objectives and purposes:

a. To conduct applied research and verify gen
production, processing, management and utili
‘economic and ecological potentials;

ted technologies on coconut and all its phases of
jon, towards maximizing its nutritive, health,

b. To develop and produce experts, students, coconut farmers and _ farmers”
organizations/cooperatives on various disciplines related to coconut production, utilization,
marketing and agri-business;

c. To provide a database of generated research information and library center of technologies in
various facets of coconut farming, processing and coconut-based enterprise development;

d. To design and implement a coconut-based farming extension programs to effectively transfer
modem farming technology, Good Agricultural Practices (GAP) to coconut farmers, students,
private sectors and interested clients; and

fe. To perform all acts as are necessary, expedient, suitable or proper for the furtherance or
attainments of the Center’s purposes.

Section 3. Multi-Partite Cooperation Agreement. — The Office of the President, through the
Philippine Coconut Authority in coordination with the Department of Agriculture through the Bureau
of Agricultural Research, Department of Trade and Industry and the Philippine Council for Agricultural


Research and Resources Development of Department of Science and Technology, shall enter into a
multi-partite cooperation agreement to provide for the design of the facility, its operations and services
and shall prepare the organizational structure and personnel complement, the proposed furniture and
fixtures, the equipment components of the Center and the estimated costs thereof.

Section 4. Appropriations. — The amounts necessary for the establishment, operation and maintenance
of the Center shall be included in the General Appropriations Act of the year following its enactment
into law and subsequently thereafter. Furthermore, the Center shall seek financial support from foreign
donors such as JICA, KOICA, AusAID, USAID, IFAD, and FAO and similar institutions for the
establishment and improvement of its infrastructures, laboratory facilities, field experiment station
development and training/scholarship of qualified personnel.

Section 5. Separability Clause. — If any part or section of this Act is declared unconstitutional, such
declaration shall not affect the other parts or section of this Act.

Section 6. Repealing Clause. ~ All laws, decrees, rules and regulations and other issuances or part
thereof which are inconsistent with the provisions of this Act are hereby amended, repealed or modified
accordingly.

Section 7. Effectivity Clause. — This Act shall take effect immediately following its publication in a
newspaper of general circulation or in the Official Gazette, whichever comes first.

APPROVED;