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          Senator Cynthia Villar welcomed the call of President Rodrigo Duterte in his State-of-the-Nation Address (SONA) to utilize the coconut levy fund “for the welfare of coconut farmers and the development of the coconut industry”.             Villar has also been pushing for the release and utilization of the coco levy since 2016. The coco levy refers to the taxes imposed on coconut farmers from 1971 to 1983. The amount collected is now estimated to be P105 billion.             “Like the President, I believe that the the urgent utilization of the coconut levy fund will help uplift the lives of coconut farmers. It is long overdue, the monies of our coconut farmers, which they rightfully own, will also benefit the coconut industry, not only the 3.5 million coconut farmers,” said Villar.             In his 5th SONA, the President also urged “both Houses of Congress to pa...

If re-elected, Sen. Cynthia Villar vowed to prioritize again the enactment of a law that will finally allow 3.5 million coconut farmers and their beneficiaries to directly benefit from the P100 billion coconut levy fund. In a recent visit to Laguna, a coconut-producing province, Villar said she is saddened that President Rodrigo Duterte vetoed Senate Bill 1233 or the Coconut Farmers and Industry Act, but said she trusts the president’s action and expressed willingness to work with him to improve the bill. “Huwag po kayong malungkot.  Makakaasa ang mga coconut farmers na as soon as I go back to Congress in July, we will refile the bill,” Villar said. “Sisiguraduhin na natin na papasa ito at pipirmahan ng president. Made-delay lang ng one year but we will do it,” she added. Villar also enumerated the merits of the bill which will create the coconut levy trust fund and will provide P5 billion a year for the next 25 years for programs that will directly benefit the coconut ...