Bigger role, more benefits for coco farmers

Now that the Supreme Court has “unanimously ruled… that 24 percent of the sequestered shares of stock in San Miguel Corp. (SMC) acquired with proceeds of a coconut levy tax imposed from 1973 to 1982 belong to the government, and should now be used for the benefit of the industry and the farmers,” may I suggest the following:

1. That the scholarship granted to deserving sons and daughters of genuine coconut farmers be revived.

2. That the life insurance coverage of genuine coconut farmers be increased from P10,000 to P50,000.

3. That a direct cash subsidy, similar to the Conditional Cash Transfer of the Department of Social Welfare and Development, be given to coconut farmers.

I am one with Joey Faustino, head of the Coconut Reform Industry Movement, in calling on President Aquino to “certify for urgent legislation bills in the two houses of Congress which seek to establish a Coconut Farmers Trust Fund”; and to appoint  genuine farmers to coconut industry-related agencies of our government.

—CRISOSTOMO B. VILAR,

vice mayor, Pagsanjan, Laguna;

chair, Pagsanjan Cocofed