House Committee OKs HB 2045 for a new era of coconut research in the Visayas

The House Committee on Agriculture and Food  has approved House Bill (HB) No. 2045, a proposed measure led by Representative of the Fifth District of Leyte Carl Nicolas C. Cari that will formally elevate the Visayas State University (VSU) as the core research hub for the coconut industry in the Visayas. 

The committee-level approval was secured on December 2, 2025 during the deliberations at the Conference Rooms 1 and 2 of the Mitra Building. 

HB 2045 seeks to institutionalize the long running National Coconut Research Center-Visayas (NCRC-V) in VSU and rename it as the Visayas Coconut Research and Development Center (VCRDC), enabling joint annual funding and program integration with the Philippine Coconut Authority (PCA). 

Through this bill, NCRC-V in VSU will be recognized as the national coconut research and development center to better serve the entire coconut industry of the Philippines.

[You may also want to read: House Bill establishing VSU satellite campus in Hilongos secures committee approval]

The center will cater to Western, Central and Eastern Visayas (Regions VI, VII and VIII), expanding scientific and technology-based support to millions across the coconut value chain. 

The NCRC-V is currently the only research center on coconut science and development attached to a state university and college in the country, and has long been filling the research gap in Visayas where no research and development exists. 

Cong. Cari underscored that this bill addressed a long-standing gap in government support. 

“Visayas has been carrying a massive share of coconut production for years, but it has no formally supported research center, " he said. 

He further emphasized that the region contributes over one million metric tons of coconuts annually, and that institutionalizing NCRC-V as the Visayas Coconut Research and Development Center ensures a permanent, equipped, and financially supported institution dedicated to the needs of coconut farmers, processors, and MSMEs. 

“Through this bill, we want to bring more science solutions to the communities that plant, process, and trade coconuts,” he added. 

VSU President Dr. Prose Ivy G. Yepes appeared before the Committee with NCRC-V Director Dr. Marisel A. Leorna to express the university’s strong backing for the measure. 

President Yepes detailed how NCRC-V has spent five decades pushing innovations that reach farmers, especially in Eastern Visayas. 

“We are ready to scale what we have started with more advanced breeding, better laboratories, and faster rollout of technologies to help coconut growers earn more,” she shared. 

Dr. Leorna also gave an overview of ongoing and future initiatives such as the conservation of 46 germplasm accessions, tissue culture breakthroughs supported by DOST-PCAARRD, pest management strategies, high yield Makapuno hybrids, and processing models that minimize waste. 

“Our work has proven that local research can uplift local industries. With improved support, we can reach more farmers and MSME’s across the Visayas,” she said. 

Government representatives present in the session likewise offered alignment with the direction of the bill. 

PCA Administrator and Chief Executive Officer Dr. Dexter R. Buted supported the bill, noting that PCA’s national research and development budget limits the rollout of wider scientific advances needed by the coconut industry. 

He further recommended to designate the NCRC-V in VSU as the National Coconut Research Center given its strong capacity and track record, and allow the center to draw from the Coconut Farmers and Industry Development Plan (CFIDP) funds to expand its services. 

Meanwhile, the Manager of the Department of Trade and Industry-Comprehensive Agrarian Reform Program (DTI-CARP) Ferdinand T. Aparri echoed his agency’s full support, emphasizing that scientific advances must yield real gains for farmers and micro-enterprises. 

“Research must translate into livelihood. Farmers and small processors should benefit from every technology we develop,” he said. 

Atty. Raeyan M. Reposar from the Department of Finance also expressed support for the measure. 

The approval by the House Committee on Agriculture and Food advances HB 2045 to the next phase of the legislative process. As the bill progresses, VSU continues to work closely with Cong. Cari and national agencies in refining provisions that will widen the reach of coconut research and enterprise development in the Visayas. 

President Yepes expressed appreciation to Cong. Cari for spearheading efforts that support a crop relied upon by hundreds of thousands of families. 

“Through this measure, we can keep improving solutions that respond to climate challenges, livelihood struggles, and changing market demands,” she said.

This article is aligned with the Sustainable Development Goal (SDG) 1: No Poverty; 2: Zero Hunger; SDG 8: Decent Work and Economic Growth; SDG 9: Industry, Innovation, and Infrastructure; SDG 12: Responsible Consumption and Production, and; SDG 13: Climate Action.

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