Central Visayas Coconut Farmers Encouraged to Register with NCFRS

Central Visayas, Philippines – The Philippine Coconut Authority (PCA) is urging 338,649 coconut farmers across the four provinces of Central Visayas to enroll in the National Coconut Farmers Registry System (NCFRS) to access government funding and support.

According to Philippines News Agency, PCA Region 7 (Central Visayas) Regional Director Brendan Trasmonte shared with the Philippine News Agency that the initiative aims to include farmers from Bohol, Negros Oriental, Cebu, and Siquijor in the updated list. The registration is crucial for farmers to avail of various programs and assistance under Republic Act 11524, or The Coconut Farmers and Industry Trust Fund Act. The Act also mandates the creation of the Coconut Farmers and Industry Development Plan (CFIDP), which offers support in areas such as social protection, scholarships, crop insurance, and training. Trasmonte emphasized the importance of the NCFRS as the official basis for the government to assist the coconut sector and encouraged all eligible coconut farmers, including non-land owners, renters, and employees of coconut farms, to register. He highlighted that even coconut growers with a minimum of 20 trees are eligible for certain government services, provided they are officially listed in the NCFRS.