KORONADAL CITY, SOUTH COTABATO (January 17, 2022) –The Department of Trade and Industry (DTI) Region 12 holds a strategic planning session in preparation for the second-year implementation of the Coconut Farmers and Industry Development Plan (CFIDP).

The CFIDP is an offshoot of the signing of the Republic Act 11524, or the “Coconut Farmers and Industry Fund Act,” which aims to increase the productivity and income of coconut farmers, alleviate poverty, and achieve the twin objectives of rehabilitating and modernizing the coconut industry to attain social equity; with DTI as one of the implementing government agencies.

As an implementing agency, DTI is tasked to engage in assisting coconut farmers and processors through the conduct of industry and market research, marketing assistance, and market promotion.

In 2022, DTI-12 has kicked off the implementation of CFIDP with plan harmonization with stakeholders and partner implementing agencies.

Now in its second year of implementation, the focus of the strategic plan is on making sure that the ultimate beneficiaries of the program are the coconut farmers.

In her message to the DTI-12 CFIDP project team, OIC-Regional Director Flora Politud—Gabunales said that the fund used in the execution of the program is for the coconut farmers. Therefore, the interventions of DTI here in Region 12 will truly benefit them.

“Let us be conscious that the fund is for the coconut farmers, they must really benefit from every intervention we make. Similarly, let us continue to study what are the needs of the industry and proactively respond to these needs,” said Politud-Gabunales.

The Treasures of Region 12 Trade Fair in Manila in December was the culmination of DTI-12 CFIDP intervention in 2022, which resulted in 60 coconut and coconut-supporting enterprises assisted through the provision of a physical market venue, and sales generation of Php 14.3 M. *

Date of release: 17 January 2023