Sun.Star: Dolefil hits plant closure in S. Cotabato

KORONADAL CITY -- The management of fruit giant Dole Philippines, Inc. (Dolefil) questioned the motive of the "Cease and Desist Order" issued by the Environmental Management Bureau (EMB) of the Department of Environment and Natural Resources (EMB-DENR) in Central Mindanao in closing down its cannery plant in Surallah town, South Cotabato. EMB regional office here served the order to Dolefil-Surallah extension office last Aug. 6 and padlocked the firm's main machineries and equipment virtually halting the entire operation. EMB regional director Tungko Saikol claimed Dolefil-Surallah processing plant is discharging toxic chemicals from its wastewater and it has no existing water treatment facility. Saikol further bared the EMB based its action on the complaint lodged by a landowner who claimed his farm situated at the vicinity of the fruit processing plant suffered contamination. In a statement e-mailed to Sun.Star, Kevin Davis, managing director of Dolefil, said the company is doing everything to comply with the environmental laws. The opening paragraph of Davis' statement read, "When we took over the operations of Tadi's cannery, it was in such a sad state. We immediately endeavored to have the facility comply with all the requirements of our environmental laws, setting up structures to bring us into full compliance as quickly as possible." Davis added that Dolefil's track record in the community would show that they are socially responsible. The top honcho of the multi-national fruit company said they are committed to protecting and preserving the environment. "Whatever imperfection there may be in our Surallah plant we continue to find solutions for it, and we believe, would not merit the extreme sanction of a "cease and desist order," he lamented. The company's top official added Dolefil is barely one year old in Surallah. By immediately padlocking the firm's processing plant, Davis said, "We cannot help but ask: Why then was the same plant which was in far worse condition that it is now allowed to operate the past 14 years? And why were the non-compliance of Tadi the past years made to bear on Dole-Surallah?" Representatives from Dolefil and Pollution Adjudication Board (PAB) from Manila earlier met to thresh out the problem. Around 11:45 Thursday noon, representatives of the EMB-Central Mindanao went to Dolefil main office in Cannery, Polomolok town, South Cotabato carrying a copy of a 45-day Temporary Lifting Order (of the Cease and Desist Order) issued by the Pollution Adjudication Board (PAB) in Manila. Davis said he was expecting to receive a black and white copy of PAB-Manila order within 72 hours. The company official appreciated the objectivity, reasonableness and promptness of the PAB in considering the on-going efforts of the Company to improve its newly acquired facility in Surallah which has been neglected during the time of its predecessor, the T'boli Agro-Industrial Development, Inc. (Tadi). Nancy Abacahin, a cannery worker for six years way back during the time of Tadi, said the order issued by EMB was arbitrary. Abacahin, who is a resident of Purok Toledo, Barangay Tubiala in Surallah town, said sanitation inside the processing plant now is much better as compared to the time of Tadi. "Noon, maamoy mo talaga ang baho ng planta, ngayon wala kang maamoy. Bakit hindi isinara ng EMB noon ang Tadi?" she said. Elias Licayan, Dolefil pollution control officer, clarified there was no toxic chemical coming out as the discharge was merely a water used in washing the pineapple. "Toxic chemical is not allowed entry in our processing plant since the company is engaged in fruit processing. The water discharge was the one we used in cleaning and washing the fruits and it's potable water," Licayan said. Catalina de Padua, a resident of Barangay Nasi in Surallah and also a cannery worker on provisional status, lashed back at the EMB for depriving them of their income. De Padua, a bread winner and a mother to her three kids, said work stopped at the cannery plant for about a week due to EMB order. "Anong ipapakain ko ngayon sa tatlong mga anak ko eh no work no pay kami kasi provisional palang ang status ko," de Padua decried. De Padua bared more than a thousand employees - regulars, provisional and contractuals – were affected by the stoppage of Dolefil operation in Surallah. Despite what the EMB did, Dolefil pledged to go on with its expansion in Surallah to generate more employment for the people and help boost economic development for the province. - Sun.Star