Villar said the vetoed measure was meant to allow 3.5 million coconut farmers and their beneficiaries to directly benefit from the P100- billion coconut levy fund. Vice President Leni Robredo and opposition senatorial bet Florin Hilbay lamented Duterte’s decision to veto the Coco Levy Fund Bill. “We all know that whatever the President wants to be passed, Congress will abide. That’s why we were surprised this happened with the coco levy (bill),” Robredo said in Filipino. Robredo, a former Camarines Sur representative, was one of the principal authors of the Coco Levy Fund during the 16th Congress.

Source: Philippine Star February 18, 2019 16:03 UTC