Villar chides PCA execs over vague proposals on coconut village, seed farm dev’t

Senator Cynthia Villar on Thursday chided officials from the Philippine Coconut Authority (PCA) over vague proposals on the coconut village and seed farm development programs.

During the Senate hearing on PCA’s P1.097 billion proposed budget for 2022, Villar inquired about the locations where the Coconut Village Development, as well as the Seed Farm Development projects will be implemented.

“Hindi ko alam bakit kailangan may budget itong Seed Farm Development at itong Coconut Village Development project,” Villar said.

(I can't understand why we need budget for the Seed Farm Development and Coconut Village Development project.)

“Saan ninyo tinatayo 'to? Sabihin ninyo sa akin ang lugar n’yan (Where do you intend to establish this? Tell me the location),” she added.

According to PCA Administrator Benjamin Madrigal Jr. and Deputy Administrator for operations Roel Rosales, seed farms are established in various parts of the country.

In Luzon, the seed farms are located in Camarines Sur, Palawan, Marinduque, and Isabela.

Villar reminded the PCA officials that there is also one in Quezon.

“Kung ako hijo, kung ako ang head ng PCA, kabisado ko ‘yan kaya memorize-in mo ‘yan, general. Kung ako 'yan memorized ko 'yan by heart. Kung nasaan ang seedling farm, ilan lang 'yan e. Oh saan saan ‘yan?” she asked.

(If I were you, if I were the head of the PCA, I've already memorized the locations. That's why, general, you should memorize this. If I were you, I have already memorized that by heart, the locations of the seedling farm, because those are just few.)

Rosales continued saying there are also seed farms in Capiz, Negros Occidental, Cebu, Bohol, and Leyte for Visayas.

Meanwhile, the seed farms in Mindanao are located in Davao Region, Northern Cotabato, Ozamiz City, and Misamis Oriental.

Villar then asked if the Coconut Village Development project and Seed Farm Development project will be implemented in the same locations mentioned.

"'Yung Coconut Village Development project at saka Seed Farm Development project, 'di ba ninyo sa mga lugar na ito gagawin? Iba pa itong lugar na ito?" she asked.

(The Coconut Village Development project and Seed Farm Development project, will they be implemented in different locations? Are the location for these programs different?)

Madrigal tried to explain that the budget they indicated in their proposal are for the maintenance of seed farms.

"'Yung mga budget po diyan ay pang-maintain ng mga seed farm na ito (The budget there are for the maintenance of the seed farms)," he said.

At this point, the PCA officials earned the ire of the senator.

“Seed farms? ‘Di ba ang mga farm e sa mga farmers. Bakit ninyo kailangan magkaroon ng seed farm at bakit ninyo kailangan magkaroon ng coconut village? ‘Di ba ang mga lugar na ito kung lalagyan ninyo, lahat to, that would cater to those places?" she asked.

(Seed farms? These seed farms are maintained by farmers. Why do you need to have seed farm and why do you need the village? If you just establish one in the areas you mentioned, wouldn't that already cater to those places?)

“‘Di ba sa isang region maglagay lang kayo ng isa na inyo then dun ninyo na gagamitin para nakikita natin. Hindi natin alam kung nasaan ang mga coconut village na ito at mga seed farm na 'to. Ayusin ninyo ‘yan,” a visibly agitated Villar said while dropping her eyeglasses on her table.

(You can just put the seed farm in one of the areas you mentioned a while ago so that we can see the implementation. We don't know where these coconut village will be built as well as these seed farms. Fix your plans for that.)

The senator directed the PCA to identify the locations where they will implement the Coconut Village Development and Seed Farm Development projects.

“Pinpoint n’yo yung lugar na lalagyan ng development ng seed (Pinpoint the areas where you will implement the seed development), development ng whatever you want to develop for the coconut farmers, and I want to see them, I will go around the Philippines and try to see them there,” she said.

For 2022, the PCA proposed over P34 million for the Coconut Village Development and P10 million for the Seed Farm Development project.

At the end of the hearing, Villar instructed the PCA officials to set another meeting with her to discuss the particulars of their 2022 budget before she sponsors it on the plenary.—AOL, GMA News