NOV.

25, 2014

NR # 3661C

Belmonte responds to coconut farmers; urges House support

House Speaker Feliciano Belmonte, Jr. and other House leaders met with coconut farmers
today led by the Pambansang Kaisahan ng mga Magbubukid sa Pilipinas chairperson Eduardo
Ka Ed Mora in a dialogue initiated by the Office of Rep. Kaka Bag-ao (Lone District, Dinagat
Islands).
Symbolic of the P71-Billion coco-levy fund, some 71 farmers trekked for 71 days from
Davao to Metro Manila to meet with the House leadership led by Belmonte.
Here at the House of Representatives, I can promise that all the members want the best
for the beneficiaries in the coconut industry, Belmonte said at their meeting. He also lauded
President Benigno Aquino III for likewise committing to meet with the coconut farmers
tomorrow.
With the hectic schedule of the President, we appreciate his committing to us his time
tomorrow, Belmonte said.
All of us want the coconut industry to prosper again because it is an industry that helps
the people and we want to see that money (the coco levy fund ) benefit all stakeholders,
including the coconut farmers, he said.
Not only for scholarships but to truly level up the standard of living of the coconut
farmers and their families, Belmonte said.
The coconut industry is one of a kind, having a P71-B fund at hand and one thing for
sure, the government is one with you in establishing the coconut farmers trust fund for the
benefit of all the millions of coconut farmers of the country, Belmonte said.
Reps. Mark Llandro Mendoza (4th District, Batangas), chairperson of the House
Committee on Agriculture and Food, Joselito R. Mendoza (3 rd District, Bulacan), Agapito H.
Guanlao (Party List, BUTIL), Walden F. Bello (Party List, Akbayan), Evelyn P. Mellana (2 nd
District, Agusan Del Sur), and Josephine R. Sato (Lone District, Occidental Mindoro) also
invited the farmers for the scheduled House committee on agriculture and food hearing set on
Dec 16th.
Belmonte also reiterated that the said hearing aims to fine-tune a proposed House
Resolution and related Bills, together with the submitted Peoples Initiative Bill (Petition No. 3),
and the proposal submitted by the coconut farmers. This aims to result in a Coconut Farmers
Trust Fund Act of 2014.
House Resolution 229, authored by Rep. Delphine Lee (Party List, AGRI), House Bills
1327, and 5208 by Rep. Fernando Hicap (Party List, ANAKPAWIS) and Angelina Tan (4 th
District, Quezon), respectively, and PET#3 will be discussed on the 16 th of December to come up
with the best measure that will greatly represent and serve the coconut farmers, Belmonte said.

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