The Private Sector Advisory Council (PSAC) and its agri sector leaders have urged the government to implement policies meant to improve the production of coconut, sugar and tobacco as well as the biotechnology regulations and agricultural export procedures.
PSAC with its lead convenor, Sabin Aboitiz, who also serves as Aboitiz Group president and chief executive officer, together with the group’s agriculture sector leaders met with President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. at the Malacañan Palace on Wednesday.
President Marcos proposed a comprehensive restructuring of the Coconut Farmers and Industry Development Plan Fund (CFIDP) to ensure a more efficient allocation of resources to support the Philippine Coconut Authority’s replanting strategy targeting 100 million coconut trees within the next five years.
The meeting also pushed for a substantial increase in funding for the salt fertilization program, with a shift towards emphasizing local sourcing and catalyzing the growth of small and medium-sized enterprises within the salt industry.
PSAC said efforts are also underway to realign the CFIDP to ensure that the growth of the coconut industry is both sustainable and inclusive.
In support of the coconut industry, the Department of Energy also reiterated plans to elevate biodiesel blend from the current two percent blend to five percent over the course of three years, starting October 2024.
Such move is expected to improve fuel efficiency while ensuring that coconut supply for the food sector remains unaffected.
Meanwhile, PSAC also addressed the Court of Appeals’ decision regarding genetically modified organisms as President Marcos reassured stakeholders of the government’s commitment to continue the Golden Rice and BT Talong programs, despite legal ambiguities.
Amid the issue, the Office of the Solicitor General has been instructed to seek clarification and reconsideration of the decision, emphasizing its limited scope and potential widespread impact on agriculture and food security.
As for the sugar industry, President Marcos endorsed the PSAC’s recommendations to bridge sugar imports during off-milling seasons and to refine imported raw sugar domestically for export.
PSAC said the government is also pushing for a comprehensive review of the Sugarcane Industry Development Act with an aim to reallocate funds more effectively toward critical agricultural needs such as seeds and irrigation.
President Marcos and Agriculture Secretary Francisco Tiu Laurel Jr. also highlighted the administration’s initiative to streamline agricultural exports by significantly reducing procedural delays in a bid to enhance the global competitiveness of Philippine agricultural products.
PSAC said the meeting outlined stricter regulatory and tax enforcement strategies in response to the challenges posed by tobacco and vape product smuggling, including the implementation of new tax measures, enhanced monitoring and enforcement of stricter compliance protocols to curb illegal trade and ensure public safety.
