The Civil Service Commission (CSC) encouraged all government agencies and offices to serve buko juice during activities such as meetings and events in an effort to support the coconut farmers and sustain the coconut industry in the country.
In her recently issued Announcement No. 04 series of 2020 dated February 3, 2020, CSC Chairperson Alicia de la Rosa-Bala said that the oversupply in the international market has pulled down the prices of copra and other coconut products in the country.
“In view of the low prices of copra and other coconut products due to the glut in the international market, the PCA is strengthening its efforts in promoting coconut products as healthy food for Filipinos to encourage health lifestyle and worker welfare and to increase domestic utilization, which will consequently support the coconut farmers and sustain the coconut industry,” said in her announcement.
In her announcement she encouraged all government agencies to serve buko juice as a way to make the public more aware of the present conditions of our local coconut farmers.
“To promote public awareness on the plight of our local coconut farmers and in support to the efforts of the PCA, all government offices are encouraged to serve coconut products especially coconut water during the conduct of their offices’ activities such as meetings and events,” CSC Chairman de la Rosa-Bala said.
The announcement was addressed to all department and bureaus of the national government, local government units (LGUs), Government Owned and Controlled Corporations (GOCC), State Universities and Colleges (SUCs) and other constitutional bodies.
Raul Aguilar, head of the PCA-Palawan said in a recent interview that there are more than 40,000 coconut farmers and coconut farm workers in entire Palawan, including that in the island municipalities.
Jeric Borja, personnel of the PCA-Palawan said that last year their office received a circular issued by their central office urging government agencies to serve buko juice during their seminars and meetings, which they furnished it to all other government offices in Palawan, including the Provincial Government of Palawan and the City Government of Puerto Princesa.