Sorsogon: More than 300 twiners, coconut farmers, and members of the Coco Coir Business Integration and Development (COCOBIND) in Sorsogon will benefit from a PHP5-million Shared Service Facility (SSF) Project initiated by the Department of Trade and Industry (DTI).
According to Philippines News Agency, the project aims to modernize equipment and technology essential for enhancing productivity, ensuring quality, and creating more sustainable livelihood opportunities. Ma. Lourdes Pancho, DTI Sorsogon provincial director, emphasized that the project will convert coconut husks, typically considered waste, into additional income for the group. The PHP5-million investment in new equipment will improve livelihoods by introducing innovative, modern, and sustainable technologies for processing coconut fiber.
The investment includes acquiring a mobile-type decorticating machine, a carting machine, a baling machine, and twining machines, all vital for producing coco coir. This new equipment is expected to increase production from 10,000 to at least 30,000 units of coco coir per month, meeting buyers' demand and boosting farmers' incomes.
Following the signing of a memorandum of agreement between DTI and COCOBIND on June 3, the bidding process began, along with compliance with all necessary documentation for the purchase of the equipment. Pancho stated that once the machinery and equipment arrive, they will be managed by DTI and located at the COCOBIND area. DTI will oversee and supervise the equipment for the next two years, ensuring effective management by COCOBIND before turning it over while continuing to monitor its use. Training will also be provided for machine operators upon delivery.
DTI Sorsogon is assisting three farmers' groups engaged in the coco coir business, aiming to transform coconut husks into eco-friendly and sustainable products such as coco fiber, coco doormats, coco pots, coco geonets, coco pits, and coco poles. This initiative not only helps create more jobs and supports the local economy but also empowers farmers to explore entrepreneurship opportunities.
