THE ZAMBOANGA Peninsula Regional Development Council (RDC-9) has passed a resolution urging the Philippine Coconut Authority (PCA) to expedite the opening of access to the coco levy fund to provide assistance to coconut farmers who have been affected by the escalating problem on coconut scale insect (CSI), or commonly known as cocolisap. “Given that coconut is a champion product of Zamboanga Peninsula, the EDCom (Economic Development Committee) during its 3rd quarter regular meeting in the city passed Resolution No. 039, series of 2017, recommending PCA to access the coco levy fund to assist coconut farmers affected by the CSI infestation,” reads the resolution, which was sent to the office of Cabinet Secretary Leoncio B. Evasco, chair of the PCA governing board. Socorro C. Ramos, RDC-9 vice-chair and National Economic and Development Authority regional director, who penned the official communication, said, “We are earnestly requesting your [Mr. Evasco] favorable action on the said resolution.” The Supreme Court has recently lifted the temporary restraining order on the use of the P75-billion coco levy fund. PCA data show that there are about 1.8 million coconut trees in the entire Zamboanga Peninsula region affected by cocolisap, of which almost half are in Zamboanga City. The city council had earlier passed a resolution declaring the city under a “state of calamity” and has allocated P20 million from the emergency fund to help address the CSI infestation. — Albert F. Arcilla

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