Velasco wants coco levy trust fund bill passage as Christmas gift for farmers

House Speaker Lord Allan Velasco on Tuesday said he is pushing for the passage of the measure seeking to establish the coco levy trust fund, which is seen to benefit farmers and develop the coconut industry.

In an online interview with Daily Tribune, Velasco said he recently spoke with House committee on agriculture and food chairman Mark Enverga on the coco levy trust fund bill, which he said he wanted approved as a "Christmas gift" for coconut farmers.

"Actually kausap ko ang chairman ng agriculture [committee] at sinabi ko I want the coco levy fund to be finished, at magandang regalong pamasko sa ating mga coco farmers," he said.

The controversial coco levy fund came from taxes imposed on coconut farmers during the martial law years by alleged cronies of Marcos, including Eduardo "Danding" Cojuangco, with the promise of sharing investments and development of the industry.

At least 16 bills have been filed at the House in the 18th Congress to create a trust fund from the coco levy.

A technical working group created by the House committee on agriculture and food last year consolidated the measures into one bill.

Back in the 17th Congress, both the Senate and the House of Representatives approved the first version bill creating the coco levy trust fund, targeted to help coconut farmers and protect their socio-economic well-being.

President Rodrigo Duterte, however, vetoed the measure, saying that the bill was unconstitutional due to supposed lack of safeguards and concerns it may violate the Constitution.

The House eventually approved another version of the bill towards the end of the 17th Congress, but it did not get the same approval from the Senate.

The President, during his fifth State of the Nation Address in July, called on Congress anew to pass the coconut levy trust fund bill.

Velasco, in the same interview, said he would enlist the help of each and every lawmaker to meet and accomplish the legislative agenda of the President.

"Right now, I've actually suspended all hearings for the whole week mainly because I want to review first lahat ng nasa plate ngayon na ihe-hear nila," he said.

"Kinausap ko si Majority Leader [Martin] Romualdez and I told him we have to focus first on the legislative agenda of the President para maipasa natin," he added.

Over the weekend, Velasco and Romualdez said the House is committed to pass  the measure seeking amendments to the Anti-Money Laundering Act of 2001, which Duterte has certified as urgent.—AOL, GMA News