TACLOBAN CITY — A foreign investor planning a P700-million coconut industrial park in Northern Samar has pledged to donate agricultural by-products to create livelihood opportunities for inmates at the provincial jail.

This comes as the Department of Trade and Industry (DTI) met with provincial officials to finalize a plan to transform coconut coir donated by Island Fun Inc. into marketable products under the Northern Samar Provincial Jail’s rehabilitation program, Project Paglaum.

Island Fun Inc. is currently developing a 3-to-5-hectare integrated processing facility in Barangay San Isidro. The facility will process coconut water, milk, oil, charcoal and fiber.

Under the partnership, the company will provide raw coconut coir to the jail, where inmates — or persons deprived of liberty (PDLs) — will receive technical training from the DTI to manufacture value-added goods.

Island Fun Inc. has also committed to purchasing the finished products, ensuring a stable market for the inmates’ work.

Jhon Allen Berbon, chief of the Provincial Economic Development and Investment Promotions Office (PEDIPO), said the initiative turns agricultural waste into a sustainable economic enterprise.

“This effort demonstrates how investments in Northern Samar can extend beyond business development and contribute directly to inclusive growth and second-chance opportunities,” Berbon said.

The project framework involves the DTI leading product development, the provincial jail serving as the production hub, and PEDIPO providing technical assistance to manage the enterprise.

The initiative is part of Island Fun Inc.’s corporate social responsibility program as it enters the province’s coconut sector to strengthen the local value chain.