LEGAZPI CITY -- The rehabilitation of coconut industry in Albay is in limbo due to failure of the National Disaster Coordinating Council to release the necessary budget intended for the recovery program of the tree of life for over a year now, an official of the Philippine Coconut Authority in Albay revealed this week.

        Edmundo R. Bailon, PCA officer-in-charge in Albay submitted the rehabilitation plan last February 9, 2007 to fast track the recovery of the coconut industry to alleviate the plight of coconut farmers here.

        Bailon said that their office is doing its best effort to rehab the coconut industry in the region as the primary source of income of Bicolanos.

        “There was no fund release from NDCC. I don’t know where the money went while some budget intended for the rehabilitation plan were converted into farm to market road projects,” he told.

        Bailon the two super typhoons Melinyo and Reming in 2006 affected vast tracks of coconut plantations with a total damage that reached P1,826,123,933.00.

        “I was requesting P17.3 million budget for the rehabilitation program caused by two typhoons but the PDCC Albay recommended only P10 million to rehab the 7,109.70 hectares of coconut plantations devastated by Melinyo and Reming,” he said.

        The Philippine Coconut Athority is the government agency mandated by the government to oversee the development of the coconut industry. Unfortunately, only 15,000 seedlings or 0.1 percent of the one million targets were given to the farmers.

        As part of rehabilitation effort, Bailon suggested the replanting of 789.65 hectares of coconut land with financial cost of P13,234,494.00 as well as planting of short term intercropping scheme to assist the affected farmers here.

        The total rehabilitation costs of two super typhoons were placed at P47,268,494.00. Sergio Quattrocchi, project manager of Italian Cooperation of the Italian government told Bicol Mail that his office is working closely with the PCA Albay to assist the coconut farmers.

        “Our office will be giving 70,000 seedlings to coconut farmers but we’re still finalizing the agreement with the PCA for them to identify the recipients,” he said.

        Quattrocchi who is currently holding office at the PDCC building to oversee the implementation of rehabilitation programs in Albay said that his office will procure seedlings intended for the coconut farmers here.

        The Italian government poured in at least P30 million funds this year for the construction of 150 housing units which will be given to homeless families in Albay and to assist the typhoon stricken communities specifically the fishermen and coconut farmers here.