Messages from the Founders
The personal experiences and shared convictions that inspired CocoNaissance.
From the Founding Chairman
My 35 years in agriculture have opened my eyes to the difficult realities faced by many Filipino farmers. Coconut farmers, in particular, live amid an abundance of one of our country’s most valuable natural resources, yet generations of their families have remained trapped in poverty. This contradiction strengthened my conviction that the coconut industry must create greater and more enduring value for the people whose labor sustains it.
CocoNaissance Holdings Corporation was founded on the belief that this reality can—and must—change. By creating higher-value products from the coconut, building responsible industries in farming communities, and ensuring that farmers participate meaningfully in the value we create, we hope to transform abundance into lasting opportunity.
Our purpose is not simply to build businesses, but to help build a more dignified and prosperous future for coconut-farming families and the communities they sustain.
Getulio Antonio (Gerry) Bote, III
Founding Chairman
From a Founding Director
My family comes from Quezon Province, where coconut trees are an enduring part of the land and the lives of its people. Yet despite this natural abundance, many young people are no longer inspired to care for their families’ farms because they see too little opportunity in coconut farming.
CocoNaissance Holdings Corporation seeks to help change that perception. By creating modern, sustainable, and higher-value coconut industries, we hope to restore pride in the land, create meaningful livelihoods, and give the next generation compelling reasons to remain connected to their agricultural heritage.
Virginia (Gie) Lagula Bote
Founding Director
From a Founding Director
For more than a decade, I lived and worked in Australia, where I was entrusted with managing one of our family enterprises. I enjoyed my life there immensely and gained experiences that shaped both my personal and professional outlook.
Yet my heart and soul have always remained Filipino. As I became involved in planning CocoNaissance Holdings Corporation and its vision for a circular coconut enterprise, I came to understand more deeply the difficult circumstances endured by many Filipino coconut farmers. Their plight touched me personally and strengthened my desire to contribute to a better future in the country I have always considered home.
I chose to return to the Philippines with the hope that the experience I gained abroad can now serve a greater purpose here—helping build enterprises that create opportunity, restore dignity to agricultural livelihoods, and improve the lives of Filipino families.
Getulio Angelo L. Bote, VII
Founding Director
From a Founding Director
I was born in England, but the Philippines has been my home for the past 51 years. I married a Filipina, and raised my family here. All three of my children and four of my six grandchildren were born in the Philippines. They continue to live in this country.
My family’s deep roots in the Philippines reflect my enduring love for the country and its people. Through CocoNaissance Holdings Corporation, I hope to contribute to industries that responsibly harness the nation’s natural resources, strengthen rural communities, and create lasting opportunities for generations of Filipinos.
Charles Anthony Rapaport
Founding Director
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