Businessmen are backing Mayor Rodrigo R. Duterte’s attempts to persuade the New People’s Army (NPA) to drop its opposition to a 20,000-hectare oil palm plantation planned for Paquibato District, the city’s poorest area.
Davao City Chamber of Commerce and Industry, Incorporated (DCCCII) President Antonio T. Dela Cruz told BusinessWorld the Paquibato community will benefit from the investment, which was proposed by a group from Malaysia, by creating jobs, stimulating the local economy and possibly putting an end to hostilities in the area.
“I think they are much eager to introduce (palm oil) in Mindanao because as you know (Malaysia) brokered the peace initiative between the MILF (Moro Islamic Liberation Front) and the GRP (government of the Republic of the Philippines),” Mr. Dela Cruz said.
The DCCCII head added that the Malaysians have presumably looked at Mindanao for its potential as a palm oil growing area. He also noted that Malaysia, along with Indonesia, is among the biggest palm oil producers in the world.
The mayor has been holding talks with the NPA to welcome the oil palm proposal in Paquibato, a known NPA stronghold, where placards have been put up against the project.
“I think they are much eager to introduce (palm oil) in Mindanao because as you know (Malaysia) brokered the peace initiative between the MILF (Moro Islamic Liberation Front) and the GRP (government of the Republic of the Philippines),” Mr. Dela Cruz said.
The DCCCII head added that the Malaysians have presumably looked at Mindanao for its potential as a palm oil growing area. He also noted that Malaysia, along with Indonesia, is among the biggest palm oil producers in the world.
The mayor has been holding talks with the NPA to welcome the oil palm proposal in Paquibato, a known NPA stronghold, where placards have been put up against the project.
Mr. Duterte said, “The communist party is against the oil palm industry. I don’t know why but according to them it would dissipate the ground water... Then why has Malaysia become so rich? Malaysia has been planting and replanting in the same land and in the same terrain.”
“Paquibato is the poorest district in our city so the people there must be productive. That is why I am insisting that they make use of the land,” he said.
“Paquibato is the poorest district in our city so the people there must be productive. That is why I am insisting that they make use of the land,” he said.
Mr. Dela Cruz said while the first three years of oil palm farming would not be profitable, the succeeding 25 years are almost guaranteed.
“The hard part is the first three years because the investment is huge. From there on you can start harvesting. Production will continue for 25 years,” he said, quoting the Consul General of Malaysia with whom he had a discussion.
Meanwhile, the NPA released Sunday afternoon two army soldiers they abducted and have been holding captive since Dec. 2 after attacking a banana plantation in Davao del Norte province.
The two soldiers, Corporal Benjamin Enot Samano and Private First Class Alvin Ricarte, were released to Mr. Duterte after he brokered the negotiations.
“I am telling the NPAs now that I would like the soldiers to be with their families on Christmas Day. It could not be any clearer than that,” Mr. Duterte said on Sunday before the release.
Despite the incident, the Eastern Mindanao Command (Eastmincom) noted an increase in the number of NPA rebels who surrendered to the authorities since January this year.
Major Ezra Balagtey, Eastmincom public information officer, said 455 rebels laid down their arms in 2014 compared to 274 last year.
“The hard part is the first three years because the investment is huge. From there on you can start harvesting. Production will continue for 25 years,” he said, quoting the Consul General of Malaysia with whom he had a discussion.
Meanwhile, the NPA released Sunday afternoon two army soldiers they abducted and have been holding captive since Dec. 2 after attacking a banana plantation in Davao del Norte province.
The two soldiers, Corporal Benjamin Enot Samano and Private First Class Alvin Ricarte, were released to Mr. Duterte after he brokered the negotiations.
“I am telling the NPAs now that I would like the soldiers to be with their families on Christmas Day. It could not be any clearer than that,” Mr. Duterte said on Sunday before the release.
Despite the incident, the Eastern Mindanao Command (Eastmincom) noted an increase in the number of NPA rebels who surrendered to the authorities since January this year.
Major Ezra Balagtey, Eastmincom public information officer, said 455 rebels laid down their arms in 2014 compared to 274 last year.
Several local government units in Mindanao, including Davao City, have programs for rebel returnees to help them re-integrate into society.
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