The path to fund recovery and utilization had always been fraught with danger. Prior to the decisions of the Supreme Court (December 2001) and the Sandiganbayan (2003-2004), the contentious issue confronting coconut farmers, government, legislature and NGO advocates was whether the character (public or private) of the coconut levy funds had to be resolved first by the court before any recovery and utilization of funds can be made by the coconut farmers. Now that the public character of the fund has been established, the contention is over the total recovery of the coconut levy funds through the judicial process as against an out of court settlement or compromise.