The Department of Agriculture’s ambitious plan to plant 100 million coconut trees by 2028 sounds impressive on paper. Headlines like “Coconut Comeback: Philippines to Plant 50 Million Trees in 2026 to Reclaim Global Glory” paint a bold picture of national resurgence. But before we get carried away by slogans and numbers, we must ask the critical question: where, exactly, will these coconut trees be planted?
Because here’s the inconvenient truth—much of our coconut land is already gone.
Across the country, fertile coconut lands have been rapidly converted into subdivisions, malls, and commercial estates. From Quezon to Davao, the concrete jungle is encroaching on what was once prime agricultural land. The Philippines is losing thousands of hectares of productive farmland every year to land conversion, most of it irreversible. And as land developers eye every available hectare, the coconut industry is being pushed into a corner it may never escape from.
In this context, the 100 million coconut tree plan looks less like a roadmap to revival and more like a punch in the sky—a grand gesture with little grounding in current realities.
The Department of Agriculture, led by Secretary Francisco Tiu Laurel Jr., may have the budget and the will. President Marcos may be fully on board. But without a strong legal backbone to protect agricultural land, all these efforts are bound to falter. You can’t plant trees where there is no soil left.
And it’s not just land we’re losing. The agricultural workforce is aging, and young Filipinos are increasingly turning away from farming. What future do they see in agriculture, when even the land itself is unprotected? When the state prioritizes real estate expansion over food security?
The coconut tree takes 6 to 10 years before it reaches full productivity. That’s a long wait—especially for a sector already gasping for survival. But even if we plant the trees now, who ensures that the land they stand on won’t be bulldozed in a few years to make way for another gated subdivision?
The Missing Piece: A National Land Use Act
For decades, advocates have called for the passage of a National Land Use Act (NLUA)—a critical policy that would provide clear, enforceable guidelines on how land should be allocated for agriculture, housing, industry, and environmental protection. Yet year after year, administration after administration, the NLUA has been shelved, stalled, or weakened in Congress.
Without this law, there is no binding safeguard against the rampant, short-sighted conversion of farmlands. Agriculture remains vulnerable to market pressures, political deals, and development interests.
So here’s a clear message to the administration: Before planting 100 million coconut trees, plant your signature on the Land Use Act. Show farmers, environmentalists, and the Filipino people that this isn’t just a PR campaign, but a long-term commitment to sustainable food production and rural livelihoods.
The coconut industry is not just about reclaiming the number one spot from Indonesia. It’s about reclaiming our national priorities. It’s about choosing food security over unchecked urbanization. It’s about ensuring that future generations don’t grow up in a country that once had the capacity to feed itself—but let it slip away.
If we truly want a “coconut comeback,” let’s not start with the trees. Let’s start with the land.
Only then will this grand plan take root. Otherwise, we’re just planting dreams in disappearing soil.