KNOWN as banana country, it is not surprising that the province of Davao del Norte has defied the appeal of the Catholic Bishops Conference of the Philippines (CBCP) and instead created a task force that will admonish all moves to halt aerial spraying in banana plantations.

Dubbed as Task Force Totally Against the Ban of Aerial Spraying (TF Tabas), it was created last October 21 after a series of consultations among the stakeholders of the banana industry in the province.

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The newly created task force is backed by some of the biggest names in the province, headed by Davao del Norte Governor Rodolfo del Rosario.

Even government agencies in the province, such as the Department of Agrarian Reform, Department of Education, Department of Trade and Industry, the Department of Environment and Natural Resources, and even the Provincial Health Office have also supported the task force.

"We welcome and are very gracious for the move of the government of Davao del Norte," Stephen Antig, president of the Pilipino Banana Growers and Exporters Association said in an interview Thursday.

"That way, it will not only be the companies who will be fighting for a noble cause," he said.

PBGEA is once again beleaguered after non-government organizations critical of the banana industry have persuaded the CBCP to support their calls for the banning of aerial spraying.