by Miriam G. Desacada
Tacloban City-Governor Edwin Ongchuan of Northern Samar is now poised to convert the province into the country’s center of coconut industry development by drawing investors for the establishment of the first Nortehanon Coconut Industrial Park.
This ambitious undertaking is projected to cover at least 5,000 hectares of coconut plantation in Northern Samar to support and make operational the 3- to 5-hectare Coconut Industrial Park, which will focus on processing, manufacturing, and exporting coconut-based products. This in turn maximizes the production capacity and optimize the income of local farmers and entrepreneurs.
The viability of the Park has been based on the strategic location of the province with its vast coconut resources that had been yielding between 350,000 and 400,000 metric tons of coconuts annually from its 84,000 hectares of land dedicated to coconut farming.
The investors who arrived at Catarman, the capital town of Northern Samar, were met by Governor Ongchuan and other key provincial officials, among others: Dr. Jose Luis Acompanado, head of the Provincial Agriculture Office; Jhon Allen Berbon, head of the Provincial Economic Development and Investment Promotions Office; and Engr. Rene Dubongco, provincial director of the Philippine Coconut Authority.
Among the businessmen in the team of investors who responded to the governor’s call for the distinctive Coconut Park were Stephen Chen, David Lim, Atty. Yaodong Jiang, and Alex Lao.
After the briefing at the governor’s residence, the team visited Bobon town, 10 kilometers away westward, where they were met by Mayor Reny Celespara, who personally led the ocular visit of the town for potential sites for the Park’s facilities.
The team later proceeded westward to the port towns of San Jose, 18 kms away, and Allen, 43 kms farther, to determine these ports as key logistical hubs for coco products transport, facilitating the export of processed goods and ensuring smooth access to international markets.
Finally, the team went eastward from Catarman to the town of Mondragon, 15 kms away, where they conferred with coconut farmers there on their insights of the potential impacts and sustainability of the Coconut Industrial Park, which they said offer hope for increased income and livelihood opportunities.
The consensus of provincial officials and the businessmen is that, with continued investment efforts and strategic planning, the Coconut Industrial Park in Northern Samar is a landmark project that will boost the province’s coconut industry, and transform the province into a model for sustainable economic development.