“Is it any wonder that he is again getting away with plunder? Enrile’s plunder acquittal is just one of several cases related to the Marcoses and his cronies that have been dismissed since the May 2022 elections.”
Copra farmers in Bicol have endured decades of misery due to feudal conditions.
Farmers are fast losing hope after President Duterte reneged on his promise to return the coco levy fund to small coconut farmers and there have been moves inside the Department of Agrarian Reform to reverse the administrative and department orders, favoring farmers, which were issued by former Agrarian Reform Secretary Rafael Mariano.
“Aquino has no legal and moral authority to sell these coco levy funded corporations and assets.”
“Once again, the government will provide the infrastructure for the benefit of big guns in the coconut industry at the expense of small coconut farmers. It is totally revolting that P305 million of small coconut farmers money will be spent for the so-called agro-industrial estate project that will only benefit local and foreign agri-businesses.” – Willy Marbella, KMP
By RONALYN V. OLEA
The KMP and CLAIM support the proposal for the creation of a Small Coconut Farmers’ Council (SCFC) to directly manage and administer the recovered coco levy and the creation of a Coconut Farmers’ Fund to comprise the total amount of the coco levy fund.
By INA ALLECO R. SILVERIO
A coconut farmers’ group said the proposals of Representatives Emil Ong and Ben Evardone, Sen. Ralph Recto and the National Anti-Poverty Commission regarding the use of the coco levy funds will benefit traders and corrupt bureaucrats, not the small coconut farmers.
By INA ALLECO R. SILVERIO
“We are not incidental beneficiaries of the coco levy funds. It was cash that was taken and stolen from us by the Marcos-Cojuangco clique; it’s only fair and just that cash is also returned to us.” – Coco Levy Funds Ibalik sa Amin (CLAIM)
By RONALYN V. OLEA Bulatlat.com MANILA – Mylene Zantoa, 32, only wants a decent life for her family. Zantoa and her husband work on less than two hectares of land in San Francisco, Quezon province. Mainly preoccupied with copra production, Zantoa said what they earn is not enough to feed and to send to school…
By INA ALLECO R. SILVERIO
“This is not money that belongs to the government – it belongs to the coconut farmers. And let it be said that we are not incidental beneficiaries here – we are the rightful owners. We demand that the money be released to the coconut farmers.” – Koprahan
By INA ALLECO R. SILVERIO
“The coco levy funds would only change hands, from one Cojuangco to another Cojuangco.” – KMP deputy secretary general Willy Marbella