THE Philippine Exporters Confederation Inc. (Philexport) said banana growers in the country are calling for the reconsideration of last year's plan to establish a Philippine Banana Industry Council as the industry continues to face different challenges.
In last year's National Banana Congress, President Rodrigo Duterte did not sign the executive order proposed by the banana industry players regarding the creation of a council and a banana research center as the government does not have sufficient fund to support it.
Philexport-Davao Executive Director Marizon Loreto, during Kapehan sa Dabaw media conference held at SM City Davao Annex Building yesterday, September 4, said the creation of the council this year is timely as the small and big banana companies are facing multiple challenges one of which are the security threats from rebel groups.
"We will probably review the proposed bill and revise what needs to be revised as there are some companies who do not approve few revisions as they said that the bill is too 'regulatory'," Loreto said.
She also said Philippines is already behind banana growing developments and technologies as compared to the countries like the United States of America and some Asian countries that already have their respective banana councils.
The review of the bill, she said, will be done during the Banana Conference on October 12 to 14 at SMX Convention, SM Lanang, wherein various banana stakeholders will convene to discuss the issues in the industry including the revival of the proposed bill for the banana council.
Meanwhile, Philexport-Davao President Ferdinand Marañon, in the media conference, said the burning down of trucks and machineries in banana plantations by armed groups has greatly affected the supply of bananas in the country as there are some small banana companies that already stopped their business operations.
"In Davao Region, all banana companies, both small and big, are continuously doing their businesses despite the insurgencies. In Agusan del Sur, there was a report that 18 trucks owned by a banana company were burned two months ago," Marañon said.
Each truck, he said, would cost around P2 million to P3 million which led to the closure of the company as it cannot anymore fund its losses.
Marañon said Philexport is supportive to the resumption of the peace talk between the government and CPP–NPA–NDF rebellion as it is the only long-term solution seen by the company to end the consecutive damages inflicted by these groups to banana plantations.
"We are actually open to hire employees from these rebel groups if they are interested to work with us one day," he said.
Both Loreto and Marañon are hoping to receive a positive feedback from Duterte on the proposed bill this year.