MANILA — Senator Francis “Kiko” Pangilinan has called on Department of Public Works and Highways (DPWH) Secretary Vince Dizon to revive a previous government initiative that allotted around P4 billion annually for the purchase of coco coir from the local coconut industry.

Pangilinan said restoring the program would provide a stable market for coconut farmers and help boost the country’s struggling coconut sector.

“Please request the secretary to submit his position paper on the previous program where public works was endorsing, supporting, using coco coir. The program was worth P4 billion during my watch at binibili directly sa coconut industry,” Pangilinan told a DPWH representative during the Senate Committee on Agriculture, Food, and Agrarian Reform hearing on Thursday, May 7.

The senator said he plans to raise the matter again during the department’s budget deliberations later this year and expects the agency to present a concrete position and implementation strategy if it chooses to restore the initiative.

“Tatanungin ko yun sa budget ninyo itong darating na September, October. Dapat may sagot na,” he added. “Kung ang sagot is yes, ano plano niyo? I want to see your plan.”

Pangilinan previously served as chairperson of the Philippine Coconut Authority and the National Irrigation Administration boards from 2014 to 2015 during his stint as Presidential Assistant for Food Security and Agricultural Modernization under the administration of former President Benigno Aquino III.

During that period, the DPWH under then Secretary Rogelio Singson used coco coir for erosion control, slope stabilization, and hydroseeding projects.

“Four billion yun bumabalik sa industrya ng magniniyog,” Pangilinan said, adding that women involved in coco coir processing also earned between P500 and P1,000 from the livelihood activity.

The Senate hearing tackled Senate Bill No. 1457, which seeks to strengthen coconut farmers’ participation in the use of the Coconut Farmers and Industry Trust Fund (CFITF), as well as Senate Resolution No. 23 concerning the trust fund.

Discussions also focused on proposed amendments to Republic Act No. 11524, the law that created the CFITF.