Tragedy and hope: The story of coconut

The coconut industry is a vital economic sector that will need rejuvenation if we are to have economic progress in our country.

- ELFREN S. CRUZ

We have 2.5 million coconut farmers and 3.11 million hectares of land planted with 347 million coconut trees. In a recent conversation with former Public Works secretary Rogelio "Babes" Singson, he recommended a book that would educate the reader on this industry: "Tragedy and Hope: The Story of Coconut in the Philippines" by Charles R. Avila with Edicio G. dela Torre (Maine & Company, Inc., 2024).

It is a compelling narrative that brings together the complex history, economic significance and social injustices surrounding the coconut industry in the Philippines. Blending investigative journalism, historical analysis and personal testimonies, the author reveals the dichotomy of an industry that has been both a source of national pride and a symbol of systemic exploitation.

From the outset, the coconut is introduced not just as a crop, but as a lifeline: "In the Philippines, the coconut is not merely a tree — it is the tree of life." This underscores the deep cultural and economic relevance of the coconut, which has been a staple in the lives of millions of Filipino farmers. Yet, beneath this romanticized image lies a darker truth. As the book delves deeper into the lives of coconut farmers, a tragic story of poverty, monopolization and broken promises unfolds.