CHAPTER 1

INTRODUCTION

BACKGROUND OF THE STUDY

Being known as a tropical country, the Philippines has abundant natural

resources and great soils that are perfect for agriculture. Rice, corn, coconut, and

sugarcane are the major products produced and exported to other countries. According

to the Agricultural indicator’s System of the Philippine Statistics Authority (PSA), the

country’s export earnings from agricultural products reached Php 331.61 billion in 2017.

This was higher by 32.25 percent from the 2016 record of Php 250.75 billion.

In the world export market, the Philippines had a bigger share in the export

earnings from coconut products. Coconut production contributes to the 3.6% of the

country’s gross added-value in agriculture next to banana, corn and rice. (PSA 2019,

Lapina and Andal 2017). However, the contribution of the Philippines’ export value of

desiccated coconut to the world export earnings increased to 31.07 percent in 2016.

Meanwhile, the shares of coconut oil, copra cake or meal, and copra were declining to

39.13 percent, 45.46 percent and 0.06 percent respectively, in 2016.

Table 1.1 Share of Selected Philippine Agricultural Export Commodities in World

Export Trade
(Source: Philippine Statistics Authority Agricultural Indicator’s System)

 Coconut plantations occupies 23% of the Philippine’s total land devoted to

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agricultural use. Major coconut producing areas are Southern Mindanao, Southern

Luzon and Western Mindanao. It has been estimated that coconuts are grown in

approximately 1.6 million coconut farms in which 71% of the landholdings are 5 hectares

and below, and only about 3% are more than 50 hectares. According to the Philippine

Statistics Authority (PSA) and Philippine Coconut Authority (PCA) the coconut

production had been stagnant from 2000 to 2017 (See figure 1.#). There had been no

significant increase in the production’s growth rate. The production has started to slow

down in 2010 and 2013 because of the infestation of the coconut scale insects and the

occurrence of major typhoons which destroyed huge number of coconut trees. Evidently,

the yield has declined significantly since 2010. On the other hand, the area planted had

generally increased from 2000 to 2017, which also caused the production growth in the

recent years.

Figure 1.1 Volume of Coconut Production

(Source: PSA and PCA 2019)

The coconut palm (Cocos nucifera), as known for years, is not really a tree.

(Miranda, 2016) Botanically speaking, coconut tree is not a tree since it a woody

perennial monocotyledon with the trunk being the stem. It belongs to the family of

Arecaceae which makes it considered to be a palm. In 2016, India’s Goa state have

declared that coconut will not be considered as a tree because it does not have

branches as said by the Goa Environmental Minister Pajendra Arlekar. (BBC, 2016)

However, coconut palm was known as the “tree of life” for it produces not only food and

drink but also cosmetics, medicine, fuel, building material, and fiber. (Bennett, 2018)

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Coconut wood is widely used for construction as well as furniture due to its strength. As

said by Ar. Jose Miranda during the Building for Resilience seminar, coco wood has

strength that can fit into same grade as common framing lumber species. With proper

preservation, coco wood could last as good as common lumber framing material.

Aside from the wood, coconut could also provide huge variety products from its

parts. The inflorescence of the coconut can provide “tuba” and coconut vinegar. Good

quality bags, mats, hats, as well as roofing material can also be derived from its leaves.

The husk can be used to produce a variety of useful products such as ropes, mat fishing

nets as well as household wall and flooring materials. From the shell, handicraft, novelty

items, charcoal briquettes for cooking and activated carbon can be produced. All the

value-adding products that were mentioned could also be used as incoming generating

livelihood for the farmers aside from the coconut farming itself.

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STATEMENT OF THE PROBLEM

The coconut industry in the Philippines contributes a lot to the economy of the

country by contributes to the 3.6% of the country’s gross added-value in agriculture.

However, even if the country is considered to be the top exporter and second biggest

Figure 1.2. Coconut Leaves Handicrafts Figure 1.3. Coconut Food Products
(Source: Google Images) (Source: Google Images)

Figure 1.4. Cocowood Products Figure 1.5. Cocowood Furniture

(Source: Google Images) (Source: Google Images)

producers of coconut in the world, coconut farmers are still affected by the issues that

the coconut industry is facing. Millions of farmers are suffering because the average

farm gate price of coconut has fallen by sixty-four (64) percent from Php 12.50 to Php

4.50. This is because of the fluctuation of copra price due to the domination of soy oil

and palm oil in the global oil market. A coconut farmer’s average annual is only Php

20,000 a year. But because of the change in farm gate price, farmers will now earn only

Php 7,200 yearly. (Ordoñez, 2018) This is also the reason why coconut farmers leave

the industry and switch to other farming industry. Filipino coconut farmers are the

poorest among the country. Therefore, short and long term measures to solve the issue

must be implemented. The Department of Agriculture (DA) also will be focusing in

reviving the coconut industry by providing various livelihood and loan programs for the

Filipino coconut farmers as part of the government intervention for being hit by very low

market prices.

The problems stated enticed the proponent to create a study that shall address

the current issues by answering the following concerns:

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 ● What are the possible livelihood programs and developments that can

help the coconut farmers to generate income?

● What are the spaces needed for each livelihood program to ensure

productivity within the complex?

● How could the building design promote the quality of the coconut, as

the product itself?

SIGNIFICANCE OF THE STUDY

Significance to the Users

The study shall benefit the Filipino coconut farmers by providing them income

generating opportunities through the livelihood complex. This shall also help them to

become more creative in utilizing the potentials of their products.

Significance to the Society

This study shall benefit the coconut industry in the Philippines by producing

quality products made of coconut aside from copra, coconut oil, and the fruit itself. It

shall also open opportunities not only for the farmers but also for the economy by

promoting locally made products that the Filipino people can be proud of.

Significance to Architecture

This study shall promote the quality of coconut by-products to be used as

building material. This shall also serve as a model for future studies that involves the use

of coconut products for building construction. Aside from that, the study shall also

promote Philippine Architecture by exhibiting resilience and permeability in building

design.

Significance to Architecture Students and Researchers

This study shall be a guide for future researchers who wants to know more about

the potentials of coconut products. The study shall also serve as a basis in improving the

future designs of livelihood complex.

GOAL AND OBJECTIVES

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 This main goal of this study is to develop a design for a livelihood complex that

shall benefit the coconut farmers and their families by providing the spaces for

processing and manufacturing of coconut-made products as well as research for product

development and exposition of the products. The study also aims to address the

following concerns:

● To determine to possible livelihood programs and developments to be

integrated in the complex related to food processing and coco-crafts

making.

● To identify and design the spaces for food processing and coco-crafts

production and research facilities that shall be needed to ensure

productivity for the livelihood complex.

● To design a livelihood complex which structures are made from coconut

by-products that shall promote the quality and resiliency of the product.

SCOPE AND DELIMITATION

Scope

The extent of this study shall tackle about (1) the process of creating

socioeconomic motivation in terms of planning and design of the complex. (2) The

application of modern technologies for coconut as building material as well as decorative

elements for the structures. (3) The potentials of coconut for other value-adding products

that could help the coconut farmers to generate income. This includes processing of

coconut and its by products to produce food and non-food products as well as

handicrafts (4) Site analysis and investigation of the selected site for the project.

Delimitation

This study cannot guarantee to totally solve the issues on coconut industry and

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will delimit the projects structural analysis including electrical, structural, mechanical,

sanitary, and structural and computation of loads. The study would only attempt to

provide solutions and ideas to empower the coconut industry through socioeconomic

extrinsic motivations through adaptation of different theories for space planning and

design.

JUSTIFICATION OF THE STUDY

The Philippines is currently the world’s second-biggest coconut producer. The

government, however, had lacked efforts in the past years to maximize local production,

which in turn might boost trading grains in the export market, according to Agriculture

Secretary Emmanuel Piñol. (Gomez, 2019) The Philippine Coconut Agency (PCA) also

encourage and teach the farmers to move forward to value-adding products instead of

relying on copra production. As published by Manila Times, The Department of

Agriculture (DA), Philippine Coconut Authority (PCA) and various industry groups have

been actively finding ways to boost the local production and exports of Philippine

coconuts. The Department of Trade and Industries (DTI) also help in the production and

marketing of coconut crafts through their program called Negosyo Center in San Carlos

City, Negros Occidental where the locals are trained to produce various products using

coconut and its by-products as major raw materials. (Nicavera, 2018) The souvenir

products produced in the training was sold to the tourist during the Panaad sa Negros

Festival. DTI is also looking at the possibility of exporting the coco crafts through

continuous product development and craftsmanship improvement. Aside from the

programs of the different agencies, Senate Bill 1976 entitled “Strengthened Philippine

Coconut Authority (PCA) Law” states that the PCA shall promote the establishment of

coco hubs all over the country for farmer organizations, equipped with machines and

facilities for the use by all coconut farmers for the production of high-value products like

virgin coconut oil, coconut water, and coco sugar.

The Philippines needs to revive the country’s coconut industry. Millions of the

Filipino farmers are dependent on coconut farming and harvesting for their living. Thus,

providing alternative livelihood that is still related to their expertise could be a great help

for them to generate income. Moreover, coconut made products aside from the harvest

and copra such as handicrafts shall be promoted.

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DEFINITION OF TERMS

Contextual Definitions

By-products- a secondary or incidental product, as in a process of manufacture.

Community- it is defined as social, religious, occupational or other group sharing

common characteristics or interests and perceived itself as distinct in some

respect from the larger society within which it exists.

Copra- the dried kernel or meat of the coconut from which coconut oil is expressed.

Fluctuation- an irregular rising and falling in number or amount. In economics, it is

used to describe a variation of periods during which the economy is growing

and then decreasing.

Empowering- The term empowerment refers to measures designed to increase the

degree of autonomy and self-determination in people and in communities in

order to enable them to represent their interests in a responsible and self-

determined way, acting on their own authority.

Livelihood- it is a means of making a living. It encompasses people’s capabilities,

assets, income and activities required to secure the necessities of life.

Socio-economic- Field of study that examines social and economic factors to better

understand how the combination of both influences something.

Operational Definitions

Cocos Nucifera- It is the scientific name of coconut palm. The slender, leaning,

ringed trunk of the tree rises to a height of up to 25 meters from a swollen

base and is surmounted by a graceful crown of giant featherlike leaves.

Mature fruits, ovoid or ellipsoid in shape, 300–450 mm in length and 150–200

mm in diameter, have a thick fibrous husk surrounding the familiar single-

seeded nut of commerce. A hard shell encloses the insignificant embryo with

its abundant endosperm, composed of both meat and liquid.

Coco-crafts- These are the handicrafts made out of coconut shells, leaves and

wood.

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Gluelam timber- is a type of structural engineered wood product constituted by

layers of dimensional lumber bonded together with durable, moisture-

resistant structural adhesives.

Extrinsic Motivation- This refers to behavior that is driven by external rewards such

as money, fame, grades, and praise. It is usually defined as the tendency to

engage in activities in order to gain some type of known, external reward.

Value-adding Products- It is defined as any product or action that helps to raise the

value of the products or business or something that can add to a product that

enables to increase the profit margin.

Abbreviations

CFB- Coconut Fiber Board

EBD- Evidence –based Design

DA- Department of Agriculture

DTI- Department of Trade and Industry

PCA- Philippine Coconut Authority

PCA-ARC- Philippine Coconut Authority Albay Research Center

PCA-ZRC- Philippine Coconut Authority Zamboanga Research Center

PSA- Philippine Statistics Authority

SLA- Sustainable Livelihood Approach

VCO- Virgin Coconut Oil

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