New Speaker sets coco levy fund bill as priority

Speaker Lord Allan Velasco wants the House of Representatives to pass the coco levy bill before the yearend as a “Christmas gift” to coconut farmers.

Velasco disclosed that he relayed his wish to House Agriculture and Food Committee Chairperson Wilfrido Mark Enverga, citing the importance of the bill to the farmers which seeks to create a trust fund from the taxes imposed on them by late President Ferdinand Marcos some five decades ago.

“I have talked with the chairman of Agriculture (House Agriculture and Food Committee) and I told him that I want the coco levy fund bill to be finished. This would be a good Christmas gift for our coco farmers,” Velasco told the Daily Tribune’s “Straight Talk” program on Tuesday.

There are 16 bills previously filed at the House for the purpose but it’s only now that it’s getting the commitment pf the Congress to expedite its passage.