PCA targets to finish coconut levy fund listing by May 27

By Mavic Conde

The Philippine Coconut Authority (PCA) Bicol regional office aims to complete the registration of coconut farmers for the coco levy trust fund by May 27 this year.

According to Emilie Lobos, PCA Bicol information officer, the region “aims to complete the updating of records of 120,441 coconut farmers and of 18,066 new coconut farmer registrants” on the said date.

“All qualified individuals, even itinerant farm workers, whether in the old list or not, are welcome to register. The only requirement is for them to provide the necessary documentary proof of their involvement in coconut farming,” she added.

Coconut farmers all over the country are given 90 days to register for the National Coconut Farmers Registry System (NCFRS) since the enactment of Coconut Farmers and Industry Trust Fund Act (RA 11524) on Feb 26, 2021.

Under this law, the government will dispose of P75 billion worth of coco levy assets in the next five years for the development of the industry to benefit the coconut farmers.

The NCFRS aims for a fully functional and automated information system for registered coconut farmers, the beneficiaries of the coco levy trust fund – the funds generated from the taxes imposed on coconut products and collected from coconut farmers and related producers and end-users in the value chain decades ago.

It’s beneficiariesare coconut farm landowners of less than five hectares and their farm workers, tenants and tenant-workers, tillers, and growers. Successful registrants will be able to get the benefits provided in the RA 11524, including voting for a representative at the PCA Board.

“I would like to emphasize though that [the] Bicol region is mostly on the pen-and-paper approach right now. Completed survey forms will be submitted by the provincial units to the regional office for encoding and regional validation,” Lobos said. The pen-and-paper approach is one of the two ways to register for the NCFRS.

Registrants may submit the filled-up form during a scheduled on-site mass registration in their barangay or municipality. The following is the schedule for mass registrations:

For Albay province: Malilipot, April 22 at Santicon Barangay Hall (BH); Malinao, April 27 at Malolos and Matalipay BH; Tabaco City, April 27 at San Antonio BH and April 29 at Cabangan and Iraya BHs; Tiwi, April 22 at Maynonong and Misibis, April 29 at Biyong and San Bernardino;

In Catanduanes: San Miguel, April 21 at Progreso BH, April 22 Genitligain Barangay Covered Court and April 23 at Agban BH; San Andres, April 26 at Lictin Barangay Plaza, April 27 at Maygnaway Barangay Hall, April 28 at Cabcab Barangay Plaza;

For Camarines Sur: District II – Libmanan, April 21 at Loba-Loba, April 22 at Sibujo, April 23 at Sigamot; Pamplona, April 27 at San Vicente, April 28 at Calawat, April 29 at Tampadong, April 30 at Batang; San Fernando, April 19-23 San Fernando Municipal Court; April 26-30 Minalabac Municipal Court; April 23-24 Milaor Municipal Court

For Naga City, May 5-7 at Barangay Carolina Covered Court;

Calabanga, April 21 at the respective BHs of Balatasan, Sto Domingo, San Bernadino; Camuning, April 22; Comaguingking, April 23; and Burabod, April 27;

Ocampo, April 28 at May-Ogob BH; April 29 San Roque BH; April 30, Sta. Cruz BH.

According to Lobos, “Some areas have not provided the regional office with the schedule since it is very fluid, dependent on the local situation and the available manpower from both PCA and the LGUs concerned,” adding: in Sorsogon it started in January and in some areas last March.

Coconut farmers can also do a walk-in registration by going to PCA regional or provincial offices, or to authorized partners like LGUs.

Online registration is also allowed. To do this, go to this link bit.ly/ncfrscocolevy and click the button for the NCFRS online registration. Fill the boxes with the required information and upload these additional requirements: latest 2x2 photo, copy of government-issued ID, copy of land title or rent agreement, or any proof of ownership.

The filled-up form form can also be sent via email together with a scanned copy or picture of documents to ncfrs@pca.gov.ph. These can also be submitted to the nearest PCA office. Pen-and-paper registrants will receive a confirmation number thru text, and online registrants thru email.