TACLOBAN CITY — A new bill has been filed in the House of Representatives to establish a government-owned coconut oil milling and refinery plant in Eastern Samar, a move aimed at modernizing the country’s coconut industry.

House Bill No. 121, filed by House Assistant Minority Leader and Eastern Samar Representative Christopher Sheen Gonzales, seeks to create the facility in the town of Quinapondan. Gonzales said the measure complements President Ferdinand Marcos Jr.’s goal of planting 15 million high-quality coconut seedlings annually.

“The President has made it clear: millions of Filipinos depend on the coconut tree for their livelihood,” Gonzales said. “Our bill ensures that Eastern Samar is ready to translate this vision into real benefits for our farmers.”

The town of Quinapondan was chosen for its existing port facilities, which Gonzales said will lower the cost and speed up the transport of coconuts and finished products. For years, coconut farmers in Eastern Samar have received some of the lowest prices for copra in Eastern Visayas because traders have to haul their products to Tacloban.

Gonzales said the new plant would give farmers in Eastern Samar and nearby provinces better access to processing and markets both in the Philippines and abroad.

The bill proposes placing the oil mill and refinery under the supervision of the Philippine Coconut Authority (PCA). The facility would process coconuts into oil and other high-value products, creating new jobs in production, logistics and related industries.

“Through our bill, we hope to transform Eastern Samar from being a raw material supplier into a value-adding hub that creates jobs, reduces poverty, and restores dignity to farming families,” Gonzales said.

The PCA reports that 3.5 million registered farmers across 3.6 million hectares of plantations, with approximately 25 million Filipinos, depend on coconuts for income.

Last year, the country’s coconut oil export earnings reached a record $2.2 billion. The PCA projects that this figure will continue to grow in 2025 due to high demand and rising prices.