The Philippine Coconut Authority – XIV BARMM (PCA XIV-BARMM), led by PCA Regional Manager Marina B. Wahab, inaugurated the Bangsamoro Coconut Hub in Sitio Cawa, Bugawas, Datu Odin Sinsuat, Maguindanao on August 6, 2020, to mark the beginning of its operations.

Cutting of the ribbon by Minister Mohammad S. Yacob (left) of MAFAR-BARMM, assisted by Regional Manager Marina B. Wahab (center) of PCA XIV-BARMM, Minister Mohagher M. Iqbal (right) of MBHTE-BARMM, Municipal Administrator Datu Israel U. Sinsuat (second from right) of Datu Odin Sinsuat, Maguindanao, and Mohammad R. Abas (second from left), the Chairman of Mindanao Integrated Rural Agricultural Development (MIRAD) MPC.

The Bangsamoro Coconut Hub is an integrated coconut processing plant, a project of PCA XIV-BARMM under the KAANIB Coconut Hub Project 2017. For the hub’s initial operations, the proponent will be buying whole nuts where the husk will be processed into twines, geonets, biologs and other by-products of coir, while the coco peat will be processed into coconut coir-based organic fertilizer (CCBOF). As for the shell and meat, these will be processed into charcoal and white copra respectively.

Eventually, the hub will start to process coconut water into vinegar and coconut aminos, and the production of coconut cooking oil through the establishment of a mini oil mill is also being looked into.

The hub proponent is the Cawa-Dadiangas Farmers Marketing Cooperative chaired by Mr. Norodin G. Mohammad, with a total of five (5) affiliate cooperatives, namely: Green Star Farmers Producers Cooperative; Kurintem Agriculture Cooperative; Sitio Malabao Agriculture Cooperative; Greenfield Farmers Producers Cooperative; and United Capiton Agrarian and Beneficiaries, Inc.

“This hub is the realization of the government’s peace process, for this coconut hub will be operated by cooperatives of coconut farmers whoa have been affected by the decades-long armed confrontations in the province of Maguindanao. These coconut farmers are relatives of former Moro Islamic Liberation Front (MILF) combatants, who will now reap the benefits of the cessation of hostilities, through this Integrated Coconut Processing Plant,” Wahab said during her message.

Present during the event were Hon. Abdulmain P. Abas, Barangay Chairman of Bugawas, Minister Mohammad S. Yacob, Ph.D. of the Ministry of Agriculture, Fisheries and Agrarian Reform (MAFAR) of BARMM as the guest speaker, Minister Mohagher M. Iqbal of the Ministry of Basic, Higher and Technical Education (MBHTE) of BARMM, and Municipal Administrator Datu Israel U. Sinsuat, as representative of the Datu Odin Sinsuat Mayor Cheryl Mary Rose Ann Lu. Sinsuat.

Also present during the inauguration were barangay chairmen of eight (8) barangays of Datu Odin Sinsuat, and Mohammad R. Abas, the Chairman of Mindanao Integrated Rural Agricultural Development (MIRAD) Multi-Purpose Cooperative, the recipient of the KAANIB Coconut Hub in Nituan, Parang, Maguindanao, which was inaugurated in July 2018.

Some of the members of the recipient cooperatives while listening the speeaches of the speakers during the inauguration of the Bangsamoro Coconut Hub on August 6, 2020 at Bugawas, Datu Odin Sinsuat, Maguindanao.

The KAANIB Coconut Hub Project beneficiaries, comprised of families and relatives of former MILF combatants, have expressed their hope that the project will be their ticket to a stable market for their coconut products and to a stable employment and income.

The inauguration event also doubled as the launching ceremony of the regional Coconut Month and 34th National Coconut Week celebration in BARMM. ### (PCA XIV-BARMM)