Catigbian will have Bohol’s first village-based coconut processing and enterprise center in order for the coconut farmers to be truly competitive in an industry often plagued by cheap, unstable copra price.

The Philippine Coconut Authority (PCA) and municipal government are signing a memorandum of agreement on the long-needed development, which will focus on coconut sugar production.

The program was agreed in principle in a meeting of new PCA Administrator Glenn Santos, new Mayor Elizabeth Mandin and Cooperative Authority Development (CDA) Commissioner Benjie Oliva, also a Catigbianon.

A predominantly agricultural interior town, Catigbian is among the highly-producing coconut areas in the province but minus proper technology and fund support for the industry workers to earn high.

A team of PCA technical personnel will visit the town in early August to conduct a meeting with coconut growers and assess the industry condition.

Part of the areas of cooperation is the granting of PCA assistance for massive coconut replanting.

Mandin will have LGU personnel benchmarking, with the PCA facilitating, on coconut sugar production in Alabat Island, Quezon.

Quezon has been considered a major coconut-producing province in the country.

Mandin and Oliva thanked the PCA for including their town in the PCA technical sessions and training in Davao.

Coconut is said to be the tree of life, but numerous lowly farmers and their families who depend on it for economic survival could hardly live.

Mandin was raised in a lowly farm family who could hardly buy her cheapest pair of slippers that she could use in going to a far grade school. The project is most welcome in her area. ( with REPORT FROM Ven rebo Arigo)