Wednesday, February 15, 2006
Agri firm dared to clear residential areas
AN AGRICULTURAL company might have seen the light when it heeded calls to clear an area around the prayer mountain of Pastor Apollo Quiboloy in Tamayong, Calinan District following criticisms from the televangelist himself, and various environmental organizations.
But environmentalists and even the flock of Quiboloy both agreed that there is not enough reason to rejoice over the move of Dole-Stanfilco because a lot more should be done especially in residential areas.
"We all know, and Dole-Stanfilco knows that what they did was not really enough. If we try to look at the area, we will see that companies like Dole-Stanfilco are actually ignoring environmental rules, which call for them to observe buffer zones among others," said Lia Jasmin Esquillo, executive director of environmental group Interface Development Interventions Inc. (Idis).
An arm length distance only separated Quiboloy's prayer mountain and Dole-Stanfilco's banana plantation.
The same is true with the company's plantation in thickly populated areas, which, according to Esquillo, is an indication of the company's apparent disregard to the vulnerability of the people to contract diseases carried by the toxic synthetic chemicals that the company uses.
The company reportedly cleared at least 2.5 hectares after the camp of Quiboloy pressured it.
The same incident also happened in Barangay Gumalang when the company sacrificed a few meters of its plantation because it also literally circled the house of a resident upon the constant criticisms it got from Idis.
"It was a good indication that the company can actually do something for the good of the people but I think they should also replicate what they did to the other populated areas of the village. Yes, it was a good sign but not enough," Esquillo said.
"What about the other people in the area who are living close to the banana plantations? They too should be heard, their areas must also be cleared," Esquillo said.
This was also aired by one of the ministers of Quiboloy who challenged the company to translate what they did to the area close to their prayer mountain.
"While we are happy about what happened, we would be happier if we see them also do it to the community here and other communities like in Wines, Tawan-Tawan, Gumalang, and Cadalian. The pastor (Quiboloy) in fact wants to see it happen," Fritz Navaroza said.
The Department of Environment and Natural Resources imposes upon banana and pineapple plantations to observe buffer zones on rivers, springs, and residential areas through the required Environmental Compliance Certificate.
Last year, aphids swarmed Quiboloy's prayer mountain.
The small soft-bodied insects also attacked the crops in the villages and the nearby areas and seriously damaged the affected plants, which earned the company the ire of Quiboloy and his followers. They also started to get alarmed over the company's use of synthetic chemicals and aerial spraying practice.
"Truth is the people are yet to see the corporate-social responsibility that is expected from these companies. At this moment, all indications show that these companies' concern is more on how to get themselves richer," Esquillo said.
Why do they have to wait for people to complain before they do what is right? They have to be proactive in observing buffer zones," Esquillo added. (Press release)
For Bisaya stories from Davao. Click here. (February 15, 2006 issue)
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