Eastern Visayas Media Without Borders
Tacloban City-House Assistant Minority Leader and Eastern Samar Rep. Christopher Sheen Gonzales has filed a bill seeking the creation of a state-of-the-art coconut oil milling and refinery plant in Quinapondan, Eastern Samar.
Gonzales said the measure complements President Ferdinand Marcos Jr.’s campaign to modernize the coconut industry, as outlined in his fourth State of the Nation Address (SONA).
“The President has made it clear: millions of Filipinos depend on the coconut tree for their livelihood, and government will plant 15 million high-quality coconut seedlings every year until we reach 100 million trees. Our bill ensures that Eastern Samar is ready to translate this vision into real benefits for our farmers,” Gonzales said.
House Bill No. 121, co-authored by House Minority Leader and 4Ps Party-list Rep. Marcelino “Nonoy” Libanan, identifies the Municipality of Quinapondan as project site due to its strategic location and existing port facilities, which will speed up and lower the cost of moving coconuts and finished products.
With the milling and refinery plant, farmers in Eastern Samar and nearby provinces will gain easier access to processing and markets at home and abroad.
“Planting more trees is only the beginning. We also need facilities that can process the harvest and transform it into wealth for our people. We are not just planting trees – we are building the infrastructure to ensure our farmers truly benefit from their hard work,” Gonzales said.
Under the supervision of the Philippine Coconut Authority (PCA), the proposed facility will process coconuts into oil and other high-value products, creating jobs in production, logistics, and allied industries.
Gonzales said the plant will also cut transport costs, assure farmers of a stable market, and enable Eastern Samar to become a stronger contributor to the national economy.
“Through our bill, we hope to transform Eastern Samar from being a raw material supplier into a value-adding hub that creates jobs, reduces poverty, and restores dignity to farming families,” Gonzales said.
The coconut industry is central to Filipino life and livelihood. The PCA counts 3.5 million registered farmers across 3.6 million hectares of plantations, with around 25 million Filipinos deriving income or economic support from coconuts.
In June, the PCA projected that the country’s coconut oil export earnings would reach a new high this year, surpassing the record $2.2 billion set in 2024, driven by rising prices amid tight supply and growing demand.
Coconut oil is not only a staple in Filipino households but is also in high demand worldwide for use in food, cosmetics, pharmaceuticals, biofuels, and industrial products
