Nutritious. Natural. Safe. These, according to Philippine Center for Postharvest Development and Mechanization (PhilMech) Bioprocess Engineering Division Chief Ofero A. Capariño, are the trademarks of the coconut water to be produced out of the synergistic efforts of the Department of Agriculture (DA), PhilMech, Provincial Local Government Unit of Camarines Sur, Central Bicol State University of Agriculture (CBSUA) and Philippine Rural Development Project (PRDP) for the village-level pilot testing of coco water processing equipment.

Capariño made the announcement during the signing of the memorandum of agreement for the coco water processing project held at the Camarines Sur Watersports Complex Convention Center Provincial Capitol Complex in Cadlan, Pili, Camarines Sur on October 3, 2014. The MoA signing, which coincided with the Asenso Partners 2014 Farmers Congress, underpins the PRDP-funded coco water processing project in Camarines Sur.

DA Secretary Proceso J. Alcala, PhilMech Executive Director Engr. Rex L. Bingabing, Camarines Sur Governor Miguel Luis R. Villafuerte, Central Bicol State University of Agriculture (CBSUA) President Dr. Georgina J. Bordado and PRDP Luzon B Director Shandy M. Hubilla signed the memorandum of agreement for the said project. Among the witnesses were Agricultural Sector Alliance of the Philippines (AGAP) Party List Representative Rico B. Geron, Senator Cynthia A. Villar, chairperson of the Senate Agriculture and Food Committee, and Dr. Elena B. de Los Santos, PRDP-Bicol focal person.

“Gagawin nating pera ang coco water sa inyong lalawigan,” said DA Secretary Proceso J. Alcala stating that Camarines Sur is one of the top coconut-producing provinces in the country. The coco water processing project aims to capitalize on the 2.4 billion liters of coconut water from matured coconut using the PhilMech technology which can process between 2,000 and 3,000 mature coconuts per day to coconut water.

Camarines Sur Governor Miguel Luis R. Villafuerte expressed his gratitude to the DA for choosing the province for the pilot-testing project saying “I thank the DA under Secretary Alcala sa saindang walang sawang pagsuporta sa probinsya… Ako po naniniwala na pag tulungan po natin ang ating farmers, tutulungan po natin ang ating probinsya.”

PRDP Project Support Office (PSO) Luzon B Director Shandy M. Hubilla said that with the MoA signing, the initial fund for the project may soon be downloaded to the partner agencies. PRDP has allotted P7.3 million for the Village Level Coconut Water Processing System under the Investments for Rural Enterprises and Agricultural and Fisheries Productivity (I-REAP) component.

Meanwhile, Capariño said that P1.5 million is expected to be downloaded to DA Regional Field Office (RFO) 5 from PRDP by the last quarter of this year to finance the bidding, installation and running of the pasteurizer-chiller, clean room, washer and extraction equipment in the coco water facility. Capariño, who developed the pasteurizer-chiller in collaboration with HDM Technologies Inc., hopes to establish a village with a quality bottled drink which can later on integrate bigger volume for export.

The MoA covers all expenses to be incurred in implementing the pilot-testing project from October 2014 to September 2015 including the construction, study of the prototype coconut water processing machinery, and operation. (Annielyn L. Baleza, I-SUPPORT InfoACE Unit, DA-RAFID 5)