EO creating coco coir council nearly done – DTI

An executive order (EO) creating the Philippine Coco Coir Industry Development Council is nearly finished and will soon be sent to Malacañang for the President's signature, the Department of Trade and Industry (DTI) said in a statement Tuesday. The EO is expected to “prioritize attention and ensure consolidated and sustained effort for the coco coir industry,” said Philippine Coco Coir Exporters Association president Ariel F. Aguirre. It was drafted by a technical working group composed of representatives from the DTI as well as the Department of Agriculture, the Department of Science and Technology, the Department of Public Works and Highways, the Philippine Coconut Authority and the Fiber Industry Development Authority. The group had been meeting to formulate a comprehensive development plan for the coco coir sector. Coco coir is a natural fiber extracted from coconut husks and is used to make rope, mats, fishing nets and other products. Nearly 1,000 coconut industry stakeholders also gathered in Lucena City last week at the second National Coco Coir Summit to assess their performance status, update the results of government interventions, and share best practices. — BM, GMA News