Philippine Rural Reconstruction Movement

12/05/2026

11/05/2026

09/05/2026

Episode 10 (Part 1) ▶️ In this episode, we will feature highlights from the Earth Day Youth Camp 2026 with the theme "Kabataang Kumikilos: Alaga sa Buhay, Alaga sa Bukas” held at the PRRM Global Partnership Center (PRRM-GPC) in Silang, Cavite on April 25-26, 2026. 🌱

The event was co-organized by PRRM, PRRM-GPC, Ecowaste Coalition , FNF Philippines, Banaag Youth , Oxfam Pilipinas, Weekend Wild Child, and the Philippine Rural Reconstruction Youth Association (PRRYA).

For part 1 of this episode, we will feature Ms. Nikka Gaddi's presentation on Civil and Political Rights, and Mr. Prince Nathaniel Canovas' presentation on Ethical Leadership and Values Formation.

Catch the insights, and inspiring moments from this event in Episode 10.

🗓 May 2, 2026 (Sabado)
🕖 7:00 to 8:00 ng gabi

Tune in and be part of the conversation!🎙

📶 Simultaneously livestreamed on the following pages:

📍 ENet Philippines
📍 Senior Citi
📍 Seniors sa Panahon ng Covid
📍 Lapis/SeeSaw
📍 PRRM

09/05/2026

⏪ REPLAY:🎙️ SENIOR CITI KUWENTUHAN 2026 | Episode 10 (Part 1) ▶️ In this episode, we will feature highlights from the Earth Day Youth Camp 2026 with the theme "Kabataang Kumikilos: Alaga sa Buhay, Alaga sa Bukas” held at the PRRM Global Partnership Center (PRRM-GPC) in Silang, Cavite on April 25-26, 2026. 🌱

The event was co-organized by PRRM, PRRM-GPC, Ecowaste Coalition , FNF Philippines, Banaag Youth , Oxfam Pilipinas, Weekend Wild Child, and the Philippine Rural Reconstruction Youth Association (PRRYA).

For part 1 of this episode, we will feature Ms. Nikka Gaddi's presentation on Civil and Political Rights, and Mr. Prince Nathaniel Canovas' presentation on Ethical Leadership and Values Formation.

Catch the insights, and inspiring moments from this event in Episode 10.

🗓 May 2, 2026 (Sabado)
🕖 7:00 to 8:00 ng gabi

Tune in and be part of the conversation!🎙

📶 Simultaneously livestreamed on the following pages:

📍 ENet Philippines
📍 Senior Citi
📍 Seniors sa Panahon ng Covid
📍 Lapis/SeeSaw
📍 PRRM

08/05/2026

𝗣𝗮𝗵𝗮𝘆𝗮𝗴 𝗻𝗴 𝗞𝗶𝗹𝘂𝘀 𝗠𝗮𝗴𝗻𝗶𝗻𝗶𝘆𝗼𝗴 𝘀𝗮 𝗥𝗲𝗽𝘂𝗯𝗹𝗶𝗰 𝗔𝗰𝘁 𝗡𝗼. 𝟭𝟭𝟱𝟮𝟰, 𝘁𝗵𝗲 𝗖𝗼𝗰𝗼𝗻𝘂𝘁 𝗙𝗮𝗿𝗺𝗲𝗿𝘀 𝗮𝗻𝗱 𝗜𝗻𝗱𝘂𝘀𝘁𝗿𝘆 𝗙𝘂𝗻𝗱 𝗔𝗰𝘁

𝘚𝘦𝘯𝘢𝘵𝘦 𝘊𝘰𝘮𝘮𝘪𝘵𝘵𝘦𝘦 𝘰𝘯 𝘈𝘨𝘳𝘪𝘤𝘶𝘭𝘵𝘶𝘳𝘦, 𝘍𝘰𝘰𝘥 𝘢𝘯𝘥 𝘈𝘨𝘳𝘢𝘳𝘪𝘢𝘯 𝘙𝘦𝘧𝘰𝘳𝘮 𝘗𝘶𝘣𝘭𝘪𝘤 𝘏𝘦𝘢𝘳𝘪𝘯𝘨
𝘔𝘢𝘺 7, 2026

Maraming salamat po sa pagkakataon na makapagsalita sa harap ninyo. Kami po ang Kilusang Magniniyog, o ang Kilusan para sa Ugnayan ng mga Samahang Magniniyog, na matagal nang nakipaglaban para sa tamang paggamit ng coco levy funds. Ang pondo pong ito ay bunga ng pawis at dugo ng mga magsasaka, at matagal naming ipinaglaban na ito ay maibalik sa amin.

Noong 2021, naisabatas ang Republic Act No. 11524, o ang Coconut Farmers and Industry Fund Act. Ngunit limang na taon na po ang nakalipas, at malinaw na hindi pa rin natutupad ang layunin ng batas na “sustainable, equitable, and accelerated growth” para sa industriya ng niyog. Kaya’t narito po kami upang ipanawagan ang pag-amyenda ng RA 11524.

Una, Transparency and Farmer Representation. Sa Section 10 ng RA 11524, nakasaad: “There is hereby created a Trust Fund Management Committee (TMFC), which shall be comprised of authorized representatives of the Department of Finance, Department of Budgement and Management, and Department of Justice. The BTr shall act as the Trust Fund Management Committee Secretariat…” Maliwanag po na ang komposisyon ng TFMC ay limitado sa mga fiscal agencies.

Wala ang PCA, wala ang DA, at higit sa lahat, wala ang mga kinatawan ng magniniyog. Ang resulta: nakatago ang impormasyon sa mismong mga benepisyaryo ng pondo. Ang coco levy ay hindi dapat maging pondo ng gobyerno lamang, kundi pondo ng mga magsasaka.

Kaya’t nananawagan kami na isama ang farmer representatives at PCA/DA sa TFMC, at magtakda ng malinaw na transparency safeguards tulad ng publikasyon ng taunang financial reports.

Ikalawa, Low Fund Utilization and Misaligned Priorities. Sa Section 9, nakasaad: “The utilization of the Trust Fund… shall be in accordance with the Coconut Farmers and Industry Development Plan… an initial allocation of Five billion pesos (₱5,000,000,000.00) shall be available to the designated government implementing agencies…” At sa Section 4, nakasaad ang detalyadong distribution: seed farms 20%, training 8%, research 5%, crop insurance 4%, farm improvements 10%, shared facilities 10%, credit programs 10%, infrastructure 10%, scholarship 8%, health 10%.

Ngunit ayon kay PCA Administrator Dexter Buted, 42% lamang ng 2025 allocation ang nagamit ng 15 NGAs. Ang pagkalat ng pondo sa mga ahensya na walang direktang ugnayan sa magniniyog ay nagdulot ng mababang utilization at fragmented implementation.

Ang vetoed bill ng 17th Congress (SBN 1233/HBN 5745) ay mas malinaw sa outcome-based allocations: 35% Shared Facility, 15% Farm Productivity, 15% Empowerment, 15% Social Protection, at 20% Agri-credit. Nararapat na balikan ang modelong ito upang masiguro ang direktang benepisyo sa mga magsasaka.

Ikatlo, CIIF OMG Asset Disposal. Sa Section 13, nakasaad: “Coconut Levy Assets… shall be privatized or disposed… within the period of five (5) years from the effectivity of this Act.” Ngunit may mga ulat na ang ilang hold-over directors ay sinasadyang pababain ang halaga ng assets upang makuha ito sa mababang presyo. Ang ganitong undervaluation at insider bidding ay malinaw na naglalagay sa panganib ng interes ng mga magsasaka. Dapat palawigin ang disposal period, magtakda ng independent valuation, at magsagawa ng imbestigasyon sa CIIF OMG operations.

Ikaapat, LandBank–UCPB Merger Transparency. Sa Section 3(b)(i), nakasaad: “Coconut Levy Assets shall refer to… shares of stock in United Coconut Planters Bank (UCPB) that were determined to be owned by the government.” Ngunit matapos ang EO 142 noong 2021 na nag-merge sa UCPB at LandBank, na nagdagdag ng ₱291.83B assets, hindi malinaw kung nakinabang ang Trust Fund. Kailangang magtakda ng malinaw na disclosure requirements hinggil sa epekto ng merger sa coco levy assets at sa Trust Fund.

Ikalima, Local Councils (LCIDCs). Sa Section 4(f), nakasaad: “Shared facilities… beneficiaries… LGUs shall create local small farmers councils to provide mechanisms for consultation and participation.” Ngunit ito ay binanggit lamang nang pahapyaw. Ang Revised CFIDP (MC 84, 2025) ay nag-utos ng kanilang pagtatatag, ngunit ito ay administratibong hakbang lamang.

Dapat ma-institutionalize ang LCIDCs bilang grassroots mechanism para sa farmer participation, monitoring, at feedback.

Ika-anim, ang Kapakanan ng mga Magsasaka. Sa Section 2, nakasaad: “It is hereby declared the policy of the State to consolidate the benefits due to coconut farmers, especially the poor and marginalized… to attain increased incomes for coconut farmers, alleviate poverty, and achieve social equality.” Ngunit sa kabila ng deklarasyong ito, nananatiling pinakamahirap ang 3.5M coconut farmers, na kumikita ng mababa buwan-buwan. Ang RA 11524 ay hindi nagbigay ng malinaw na mekanismo upang gawing measurable outcomes ang policy declaration.

Kinakailangang amyendahan ang batas upang magtakda ng direktang benepisyo: farm productivity programs, value-adding enterprises, scholarships, healthcare, at pension schemes.
Mister Chair, honorable members,

Limang taon na mula nang naisabatas ang RA 11524, ngunit nananatiling pinakamahirap ang mga magniniyog. Ang coco levy funds ay dapat magbigay ng direktang benepisyo sa mga magsasaka, hindi maging pondo ng gobyerno lamang.

Kaya’t nananawagan po kami: revisahin at amyendahan ang RA 11524 upang masiguro na ang coco levy funds ay tunay na mapapakinabangan ng mga magsasaka; ang mga magniniyog na siyang naghirap at nagpawis para sa industriya ng niyog.

Ang KILUS MAGNINIYOG (Kilusan para sa Ugnayan ng mga Samahang Magniniyog) ay isang Pambansang koalisyon ng mga maliliit na magsasaka at manggagawa sa niyugan sa Pilipinas. Binubuo ito ng iba't ibang pambansa at pangrehiyong pederasyon ng mga magsasaka at mga non-government organizations (NGOs). Isinulong ng KM ang kapakanan ng mga magniniyog, partikular na ang pagbawi at paggamit ng Coco Levy Fund para sa direktang benepisyo ng mga mahihirap na magsasaka.

Maraming salamat po.

RENE CERILLA
Co-Convenor ng Kilusan para sa Ugnayan ng mga Samahang Magniniyog (KILUS MAGNINIYOG)

Link to the full coverage: https://www.facebook.com/share/p/1CzkPsUTei/

08/05/2026

7May2026, Senate of the Philippines - PRRM Chairperson Erin Tañada and PRRM President Edicio Dela Torre, together with Mr. Rene Cerilla, co-convenor of Kilus Magniniyog, Mr. Gerry Bulatao, Chairperson of KAISAHAN, and Mr. Eduardo Mora, Chairperson of Pambansang Kaisahan ng mga Magbubukid sa Pilipinas (PKMP) presented PRRM's and KM's position statements on the reforms to Republic Act No. 11524 or the Coconut Farmers and Industry Trust Fund Act at the public hearing of the Committee on Agriculture, Food and Agrarian Reform on the SBN 1457 (Strengthening Coconut Farmers Participation in the Utilization of the Coconut Farmers and Industry Trust Fund (CFITF) and SRN 23 (Coconut Farmers and Industry Trust Fund Act). 🌴🥥

▶️ Link to full coverage: https://www.facebook.com/share/p/1CzkPsUTei/

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PRRM is a member of Kilus Magniniyog (KM) and currently serves as its Secretariat.

07/05/2026

𝗣𝗼𝘀𝗶𝘁𝗶𝗼𝗻 𝗦𝘁𝗮𝘁𝗲𝗺𝗲𝗻𝘁 𝗼𝗳 𝘁𝗵𝗲 𝗣𝗵𝗶𝗹𝗶𝗽𝗽𝗶𝗻𝗲 𝗥𝘂𝗿𝗮𝗹 𝗥𝗲𝗰𝗼𝗻𝘀𝘁𝗿𝘂𝗰𝘁𝗶𝗼𝗻 𝗠𝗼𝘃𝗲𝗺𝗲𝗻𝘁 (𝗣𝗥𝗥𝗠) 𝗼𝗻 𝘁𝗵𝗲 𝗥𝗲𝗳𝗼𝗿𝗺𝘀 𝘁𝗼 𝗥𝗲𝗽𝘂𝗯𝗹𝗶𝗰 𝗔𝗰𝘁 𝗡𝗼. 𝟭𝟭𝟱𝟮𝟰, 𝘁𝗵𝗲 𝗖𝗼𝗰𝗼𝗻𝘂𝘁 𝗙𝗮𝗿𝗺𝗲𝗿𝘀 𝗮𝗻𝗱 𝗜𝗻𝗱𝘂𝘀𝘁𝗿𝘆 𝗧𝗿𝘂𝘀𝘁 𝗙𝘂𝗻𝗱 𝗔𝗰𝘁

The Philippine Rural Reconstruction Movement (PRRM), a duly- registered and government- accredited civil society organization established in 1952 welcomes this important discussion to revisit Republic Act No. 11524, otherwise known as the Coconut Farmers and Industry Trust Fund Act. This hearing provides a crucial opportunity to examine the continuing plight of our coconut farmers, who remain among the poorest and most vulnerable in the agricultural sector.

RA 11524 mandates the creation of a Trust Fund intended to uplift the lives of coconut farmers and their families. It declares as policy the consolidation of benefits due to coconut farmers, especially the poor and marginalized, to attain increased incomes, alleviate poverty, and achieve social equity. Yet five years since its passage, the promise of this law remains a dream with minimal inroads. PRRM, as a national CSO engaged in the development of rural communities respectfully submits the following recommendations:

1. Strengthen transparency and accountability. The coco levy funds are not ordinary public resources; they are the fruits of decades of sacrifice by farmers. Their management must be open, participatory, and subject to regular disclosure. Farmers must have a voice in the Trust Fund Management Committee, and annual reports must be made accessible to them.

2. Ensure fund utilization delivers measurable outcomes. Allocations should not be scattered across agencies without clear accountability. Instead, they must be directed toward programs that demonstrably improve farm productivity, raise incomes, and provide social protection. The coco levy fund must translate into measurable impact in the daily lives of farmers and their families.

3. Safeguard coco levy assets. The mandated liquidation of CIIF Oil Mills Group assets and the merger of UCPB with LandBank raise serious questions about whether farmers are truly benefiting. Independent valuation, transparent reporting, and farmer consultation must be required to ensure that these assets serve their intended purpose.

4. Institutionalize grassroots participation. Local Coconut Industry Development Councils (LCIDCs) should be established and strengthened as mechanisms for farmer involvement in planning, monitoring, and evaluation. Empowered farmers in local councils ensure that priority reforms and programs reach the communities where it matters most.

5. Reform RA 11524 to prioritize dignity and welfare. With 3.5 million coconut farmers harvesting billions of nuts annually, it is unacceptable that they remain the poorest among agricultural workers. The coco levy fund must provide direct support—scholarships for their children, healthcare for their families, pensions for their old age, and provide investments in value‑adding enterprises that secure their future.

The PRRM stands in solidarity with KILUSANG MAGNINIYOG and other coco farmer organizations in pursuing the development of the coconut industry by ensuring quality of life for our farmers and their families. The coco levy funds represent a historic debt owed to our farmers. Revisiting RA 11524 is not simply a matter of technical amendment; it is a matter of justice long overdue. The law must be reformed to ensure that the coco levy fund truly protects, promotes and uplifts the lives of coconut farmers, and that the promise of equity and social justice is finally fulfilled.

07/05/2026

ATM: Senate hearing on coconut farmers and industry development. PRRM Chairperson Erin Tañada and PRRM President Edicio Dela Torre have also joined leaders of Kilus Magniniyog (KM) to present their position papers.

06/05/2026