SRE Now Affiliated with Ayala Foundation-USA

Sustainable Rural Enterprise (SRE) is now affiliated with the Ayala Foundation USA which will allow SRE to raise tax-deductible funds in the U.S. Donations to SRE may be remitted in three ways:

1. Issuing checks payable to "Ayala Foundation USA," sent to:

Ayala Foundation USA
255 Shoreline Drive, Suite 128
Redwood City, CA 94065
Tel.: 1-650-508-2000, ext. 127
Fax: 1-650-508-8988
Website: www.ayalafdnusa.org

2. Issuing checks payable to "BPI Express Remittance FAO Ayala Foundation-USA"
Account No. 0381-0126-38, sent to:

BPI Express Remittance Corp.
Milpitas Branch, Ulferts Center
642 Barber Lane, Ste. No. 205
Milpitas, CA

3. Issuing checks payable to "Ayala Foundation USA" and sent to:

Ayala Foundation, Inc.
10th Floor, BPI Main Building
Paseo de Roxas, Corner Ayala Avenue
Makati City, Philippines

OFFICIAL RECEIPTS AND ACKNOWLEDGMENT RECEIPTS WILL BE ISSUED TO DONORS BY AYALA FOUNDATION USA UPON RECEIPT OF THEIR DONATIONS. THESE DOCUMENTS CAN BE USED BY DONORS FOR CLAIMING TAX-DEDUCTIBILITY BENEFITS WHEN FILING THEIR INCOME TAX RETURNS.

SRE Calls for Increased Domestic Use of Coconets

LETTER SENT TO PHILIPPINE SENATOR PIA CAYETANO
September 1, 2005

Dear Senator Cayetano:

I am sending this message to you because I know your advocacies are on the environment and women empowerment.

We need to do a lot more to develop the DOMESTIC market for coconut fiber geotextiles (coconets). Currently, it is China that is the biggest user of coconets. And yet, the Philippines is landslide-prone and has thousands of hectares of degraded land (strip-mined mountains and hillsides, watersheds, riverbanks, mangroves, fishponds) that can benefit enormously - in an environment-friendly manner - from coconets. AND YET DOMESTIC USAGE OF COCONETS - THE PRODUCTION OF WHICH TRANSLATES TO THOUSANDS OF JOBS FOR POOR COCONUT FARMERS, ESPECIALLY WOMEN - IS PATHETICALLY MINUSCULE. (In addition, the selling price in the domestic market is almost twice that in the foreign market.)

The main gripe cited by coconet producers is that the Department of Public Works and Highways (DPWH) - despite Presidential Memorandum No. 25 mandating the use of coconets in all government infrastructure projects - is not too enthused, even if coconets are much cheaper than cement and imported peat moss. FYI: Germany has banned the use of peat moss because it involves mining that leads to ecological destruction. Germany has mandated the use of only coconut dust in lieu of peat moss. (Coconut dust is 65% of a coconut husk that is decorticated; 35% is coconut fiber.)

The other reason Filipino coconet producers are reluctant to go into the domestic market is the long wait for payment for deliverables, often taking months if not years. And most sub-contractors, including our NGO, simply do not have the means to borrow money. The Department of Budget Management (DBM) had initiated a prompt-paying scheme whereby government financing institutions can purchase contractors' deliverables at a discount, with payment made within 30 days. But many contractors claim that this noble scheme remains in limbo.

Our NGO is one of those little voices who insist that there MUST be ways and means to (a) put pressure on the DPWH to implement Presidential Memorandum 25; (b) follow through with the DBM on the prompt-payment scheme, and (c) prod foreign funding groups including the USAID, AUSAID, CIDA, JICA, et al - whose development projects include infrastructure upgrades throughout the Philippines - to include a clause in their contracts mandating the use of coconets as per Presidential Memorandum 25.

In other words, instead of looking at the export market as the only salvation for coconet producers, we focus on local solutions for a major local problem. What better incentive than a "wonder by-product from our tree of life" that benefits women and the poor as well as the environment!

I am sure that you have heard that the Philippines' innovation on coconets is one of the finalists in the BBC/Newsweek Global Challenge competition that culminates in mid-November 2005. Whether or not the Philippine coconet wins, the competition itself has already garnered worldwide attention and has gained precious publicity for our coconets. WOULDN'T IT BE A SHAME IF THE REST OF THE WORLD CAME TO REALIZE THAT IN THE PHILIPPINES ITSELF COCONETS ARE STILL AN UNKNOWN, AND LITTLE-USED COMMODITY???

At this point where only the foreign media appear to be heaping praises on, and spotlighting, the attributes of coconets, we could use all the help in getting the attention - and ACTION - of our country's leaders and decision-makers.

Thank you for whatever you can do to help promote the use of coconut fiber geotextiles (coconets) in the Philippines.

Sincerely,

Ms. Perla Limbaga Manapol
President
Sustainable Rural Enterprise
"Always Use Your Coconut!"
Banga and Ibajay, Aklan
Philippines
Telephones: 63-36-262-4846; 63-36-267-6811
Fax: 63-36-268-4765
E-mail: firlatot@yahoo.com
Blog: http://coconutsgalore.blogspot.com

SRE Replicates Aklan Model in Sulu, Mindanao

Sustainable Rural Enterprise (SRE), in partnership with the Governor of the Province of Sulu and BJ Coco Oilmill in the Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao (ARMM), is replicating the "Aklan Model" of a coconut coir processing enterprise in Indanan, Sulu. Other partners include the Philippine Business for Social Progress (PBSP) and the German Development Fund (GED).

The project is expected to start in mid-October 2005 and will employ as many as 150 families in the first phase. Majority of the workers will be women, many of whom are widows of slain combatants in the Moro Islamic Liberation Front (MILF). Output will include coconut fiber geotextiles (coconets); coconut dust/peat for use as organic fertilizer, soil enhancer, and mulch; doormats, and planting pots (for "soil-less" gardening).

The replication is the first of its kind in ARMM and was first conceptualized by PBSP's "Business and Peace" and "Business Partnership" initiatives for war-affected areas of Mindanao.

A second replication in ARMM is being planned for the province of Basilan. It is expected to start in the second quarter of 2006.

Philippine Coconets in Worldwide Competition

Dear Friends,

Did you know that the Philippines' coconut geotextile (a.k.a. coconet) for soil erosion control has been chosen as one of the 12 finalists in Newsweek and BBC's (British Broadcasting Corporation) World's World Challenge?

The World Challenge is basically a competition/search designed at identifying groups or individuals all over the world whose projects have contributed great impact at grass roots level.

A documentary about Philippine Coconut geotextile or coconet industry will be shown on the BBC World cable channel on September 24 around 8:30 GMT and will also be featured in the August 29 special issue of Newsweek.

"The World Challenge" already offers a tremendous exposure and publicity to our flourishing Philippine coconut geotextile industry and to our Philippine coconut fiber exporters. But it would be great liberation for our country, which has been getting very bad publicity nowadays, to win this prestigious competition.

To vote, please open www.theworldchallenge.co.uk and click the picture of Philippine coconet.

Please help us campaign for more voters by forwarding this message to your co-workers, friends and relatives. On line voting has officially started last August 15 and will end on October 15, 2005.

We are counting on your support.

Thanks!

Presidential Memorandum No. 25

OFFICE OF THE PRESIDENT

OF THE PHILIPPINES

Malacañang

Manila, September 2, 2002

MEMORANDUM

CIRCULAR NO. 25

DIRECTING ALL NATIONAL AND LOCAL GOVERNMENT AGENCIES, BUREAUS, AND OTHER INSTRUMENTALITIES INCLUDING AGRICULTURAL INSTITUTIONS AND COUNCILS TO USE COCO PEAT OR COIR DUST AND COCONUT FIBER MATERIALS FOR SOIL CONDITIONING AND EROSION CONTROL.

In line with the program to promote better farm practices and environment conservation to mitigate the effect of drought during El Niño years, all heads of National and Local Government agencies, bureaus, and instrumentalities including Government institutions and councils involved in the implementation of farming programs are hereby directed to prescribe the use of coco peat and other coconut husk materials in farming and horticulture as effective soil conditioner and water moisture conservator.

Likewise, the use of geo-textiles and bio-logs or fascines made from coir or coconut fiber is hereby prescribed for use in infrastructure and public work projects for soil erosion control, more particularly of the Department of Public Works and Highways. These coir products, proven for their high tensile strength, are abundant, available, and biodegradable.

The use of coir will further provide additional income to coconut farmers and generate more jobs in the countryside.

The Department of Agriculture, the Department of Public Works and Highways and the Philippine Coconut Authority shall issue the corresponding Implementing Guidelines within thirty (30) days from the date of issuance of this Memorandum Circular.

For strict compliance.

Manila, September 2, 2002

By the President:

(Signed) ALBERTO G. ROMULO

Executive Secretary