Stop activities in village, 4 banana firms ordered

DIGOS CITY—The Department of Environment and Natural Resources (DENR) in Southern Mindanao ordered anew at least four banana companies operating in Kapatagan village here to cease their activities.

Emmanuel Isip, DENR regional technical director, said it was the fourth order the agency issued against Musahamat Farms Inc., Highland Agri-Ventures Inc., Panuda Banana Plantation and ABCDR Corp. due to their failure to secure environmental compliance certificates (ECCs).

Kapatagan is part of the Mt. Apo protected area but the DENR said plantations could be allowed in some areas provided that companies secure the necessary requirements.

Isip said this time, the DENR would make sure the companies will comply with the law.

“Imagine, three regional directors have also asked them to secure ECCs or stop operating but they ignored them,” he told councilors during the city council session on Thursday.

Isip said the DENR suspected that the owners of some of the companies were banking on their links with some politicians in ignoring the requirement for ECC.

He did not elaborate on who the owners were and the identities of their political patrons.

Isip said the DENR was determined to enforce the law this time and that the said companies could only resume their plantation activities once they have already secured ECCs.

But Kapatagan village chair Juanito Morales said they would oppose the order because shutting down the plantations would have a negative effect on the village’s economy.

Hundreds of locals work in the plantations, he said.

Vice Mayor Reynaldo Hermosisima said he was backing the DENR order because it only wanted the law upheld. Orlando B. Dinoy, Inquirer Mindanao