by Gideon C. Corgue
PAGADIAN CITY, Nov. 16 (PIA) -– Today’s consultative meeting is an opportunity for us to find out the different problems and help promote coconut industry in the region.
Thus, declared Philippine Coconut Industry (PCA9) regional manager Bal F. Faustino on Wednesday during the coco coir consultative meeting held at Bay Plaza Hotel here.
Speaking before the stakeholders, Faustino said the activity that the regional offices of PCA and Department of Trade and Industry (DTI) have conducted is an avenue where said agencies with the stakeholders will sit down and work out for the implementation of program that would help promote the coconut industry in the region.
“This is just a start of our activity which would need a collaboration and support from all concerned agencies and its stakeholders,” Faustino said.
DTI regional director Nazrullah Manzur said President Benigno Simeon Aquino III has pushed for the development of coconut industry in the country when the coconut water drink, now the leading brand in America was patronized and endorsed by entertainment personalities like Madonna, Demi Moore, and others during his 5-day official visit to US.
Manzur said the secretaries of Department of Agriculture (DA) Proceso Alcala and DTI Gregory Domingo received their official marching orders from the president to develop and promote the coconut industry saying that it is the mainstay of the Philippine economy.
“This is a kick-off activity where PCA, DTI, DOST and other agencies will look into the coconut industry seriously as potential industry for region 9,” Manzur said.
Manzur said the consultation was very timely adding that the agencies and stakeholders will sit together and come up with a work plan for the industry.
The DTI chief said their agency will now focus on the development of the coco coir and coco pit saying that it was the specific directive that he received from the secretary.
Manzur said the DTI who normally takes care of the marketing will immediately look into this for us to market our coconut products especially the coco coir and coco pit.
After a work plan will be crafted a memorandum of agreement (MOA) will be forged between the DTI, PCA, DOST, FIDA and stakeholders to show support of the government’s program on the development of the coconut industry, Manzur concluded.
Among those who were present during the event were Philippine coco coir export producers association manager Raul Duque and DTI asst. regional director Sitti Amina Jain. (JPA/GCC/PIA9-Pagadian)