ALBAY 3rd District Rep. Raymond Adrian E. Salceda has welcomed the support of Bicol’s cacao industry groups for House Bill No. 4219, along with proposals to give the private sector a bigger role in developing the region’s cacao industry.
Salceda said the recommendations of the Bicol Cacao Industry Council (BCIC) and the Philippine Cacao Industry Association–Bicol Chapter (PCIA-Bicol) could help strengthen the proposed Bicol Cacao Development Program.
HB 4219 seeks to make cacao development a priority regional economic program and establish a Bicol Cacao Development Program Office under the Department of Agriculture Regional Field Office V.
The proposed office would coordinate programs covering cacao production, research, processing, marketing and other measures needed to expand the industry.
The BCIC and PCIA-Bicol have proposed creating a Bicol Cacao Development Governing Board and giving farmers, processors and industry groups formal representation in the program’s governance.
They also want stronger industry participation in setting investment priorities, improved cacao quality and post-harvest processing, and greater farmer involvement in higher-value parts of the supply chain.
Another key proposal is to develop “Bicol Cacao” as a premium regional brand with stronger domestic and export market potential.
Salceda said he will bring the recommendations before the House Committee on Bicol Affairs and Economic Development to build wider support for the bill.
The lawmaker said a stronger cacao industry could boost farmers’ incomes, create jobs, support rural businesses and expand agricultural opportunities in Bicol.
He also pointed to the export potential of Bicol cacao and chocolate products, noting that local brands have already reached markets in Australia, Japan, Taiwan and other Southeast Asian countries.
BCIC Regional Chairman Edgardo T. Navarroza said the industry’s growth will require sustained cooperation between government and the private sector.
Salceda said Bicol already has farmers, entrepreneurs, processors and research institutions capable of driving the industry forward.
“What we need is stronger coordination and sustained investment to connect these strengths into one regional value chain,” Salceda said.
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