NINETEENTH CONGRESS OF THE )
REPUBLIC OF THE PHILIPPINES )
First Regular Session )

HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES 4

e.
H.B. No, 3429 ere sY

Introduced by Representative Ralph G. Recto

AN ACT
EXPEDITING THE IMPLEMENTATION OF THE PROGRAMS AND PROJECTS
UNDER THE COCONUT FARMERS AND INDUSTRY DEVELOPMENT PLAN,
AMENDING FOR THE PURPOSE REPUBLIC ACT NO. 11524, OTHERWISE
KNOWN AS THE “COCONUT FARMERS AND INDUSTRY TRUST FUND ACT”

EXPLANATORY NOTE

The enactment of Republic Act No. 11524 and the subsequent issuance of
Executive Order No. 172 s. 2022 had provided the mandate and mechanism to utilize
‘the Coconut Farmers and Industry Trust Fund in various programs and projects for
the benefit of the coconut farmers and the development of the coconut industry. The
law, however, mandated a fifty (50)-year period for implementing programs and
projects identified under the Coconut Farmers and Industry Development Plan. This
protracted implementation period exposes the Coconut Farmers Industry Trust Fund to
uncertainties and unknowns in development planning, a piecemeal approach to program and
Project implementation, and additional bureaucratic costs in the provision of government.
support.

This bill seeks to mitigate such risks by shortening the implementation period of
Republic Act No. 11524 from fifty (50) to twenty (20) years. Through this intervention,
planning uncertainties would be lessened, the adoption of high-impact programs and projects
incentivized, the cost of government reduced, and the support for coconut farmers and the
coconut industry timely and adequately provided



Ultimately, it is hoped that this intervention could aid in realizing the purpose of
Republic Act No. 11524 to increase the income for coconut farmers, alleviate countryside
poverty, and achieve social equality.

In view of the foregoing, the approval of this bill js ly sought.

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NINETEENTH CONGRESS OF THE )
REPUBLIC OF THE PHILIPPINES )
First Regular Session )

HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES

H.B. No, 3429

Introduced by Representative Ralph G. Recto

AN ACT
EXPEDITING THE IMPLEMENTATION OF THE PROGRAMS AND PROJECTS
UNDER THE COCONUT FARMERS AND INDUSTRY DEVELOPMENT PLAN,
AMENDING FOR THE PURPOSE REPUBLIC ACT NO. 11524, OTHERWISE
KNOWN AS THE “COCONUT FARMERS AND INDUSTRY TRUST FUND ACT”

Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives of the Philippines in
Congress assembled:
Section 1. Section 4 of Republic Act No. 11524, otherwise known as the Coconut
Farmers and Industry Trust Fund Act, is hereby amended to read as follows:
“Sec. 4. Preparation of the Coconut Farmers and Industry
Development Plan. — The Coconut Farmers and Industry Development
Plan shall be prepared by the Philippine Coconut Authority (PCA) and
approved by the President of the Philippines. The utilization of the Trust
Fund created under this Act, or any portion thereof, shall be in
accordance with the Development Plan. In the performance of its
functions, the PCA shall consult coconut farmers and their organizations,
industry associations, civil society organizations, academe, government
agencies concerned, particularly the Land Bank of the Philippines (LBP),
Development Bank of the Philippines (DBP), Cooperative Development
Authority (CDA), Department of Science and Technology-Philippine
Council for Agriculture, Aquatic and Natural Resources Research and
Development (DOST-PCAARRD), Bureau of Micro, Small and Medium
Enterprise Development under the Department of Trade and Industry
(DTI), Commission on Higher Education (CHED), Technical Education


1 and Skills Development Authority (TESDA), Agricultural Training

2 Institute (ATI), Philippine Center for Post-harvest Development and
3 Mechanization (PhilMech), Department of Agriculture's High Value Crops
4 Development Program, Department of Agriculture's Bureau of Animal
5 Industry's Philippine Native Animals Development Program, National
6 Dairy Authority (NDA), Department of Public Works and Highways
7 (DPWH) and other stockholders in the coconut industry. The Plan shall
8 set the directions and policies for the development and rehabilitation of
9 the coconut industry within [fifty{56}] TWENTY (20) years.
10 xxx.”
1 Sec. 2. Section 7 of Republic Act No. 11524 is hereby amended to read as
12 __ follows:
13 “Sec. 7. The Coconut Farmers and Industry Trust Fund. - There
4 is hereby created a Trust Fund to be known as the "Coconut Farmers
15 and Industry Trust Fund", referred to in this Act as the “Trust Fund",
16 which shall be capitalized, managed, invested, utilized and accounted
v7 for in the manner provided in this Act.
18 “The Trust Fund shall be maintained in such manner for [fifty
19 {58)] TWENTY (20) years under the Coconut Farmers and Industry
20 Development Plan to be formulated under Section 4 of this Act, and shall
21 be used for the benefit of the coconut farmers and the development of
22 the coconut industry.”
23 Sec. 3. Section 8 of Republic Act No. 11524 is hereby amended to read as
24 follows:
25 “Sec. 8. Nature and Capitalization of the Trust Fund. — The
26 Coconut Farmers and Industry Trust Fund is separate and distinct from
27 the regular funds appropriated to the PCA through the annual General
28 Appropriations Act (GAA). As such, the PCA shall continue to pursue its
29 mandate of implementing programs and projects from the regular GAA
30 appropriations and from funds under the Trust Fund.
31 “ox.

32 Sox,


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“Any amount of the Trust Fund Income shall be available for
disbursement by the implementing agencies, which shall be utilized in
accordance with the Development Plan for a period of [fifty-50)]
TWENTY (20) years: Provided, That the amount in the Trust Fund
account for disposition by the designated government implementing
agencies under the Development Plan, which shall be released directly
to them, shall not be lower than Five billion pesos (P5,000,000,000.00)
for any given year.”

Sec. 4. Implementing Rules and Regulations. — Within thirty (30) days
from the effectivity of this Act, the PCA shall, in coordination with the Trust Fund
Management Committee created under Section 10 of Republic Act No. 11524,
promulgate the necessary rules and regulations for its effective implementation.

Sec. 5. Separability Clause. - The provisions of the Act are hereby declared
to be separable. If any provision of this Act shall be held unconstitutional, the
remainder of the Act not otherwise affected thereby shall remain in full force and
effect.

Sec. 6. Repealing Clause.~ All laws, executive orders, rules and
regulations, or parts thereof, inconsistent herewith are hereby repealed,
amended or modified accordingly.

Sec. 7. Effectivity Clause. - This Act shall take effect within fifteen (15)
days from its publication in at least two (2) national newspapers of general
circulation or in the Official Gazette.

Approved,