MEPI seals new agribusiness venture agreements with ARBs

Davao-based Marsman Estate Plantation, Inc. (MEPI) has forged new agribusiness venture agreements (AVAs) with its agrarian reform beneficiaries (ARBs) to address controversies surrounding the deal as well as avoid further dispute with Department of Agrarian Reform (DAR).

A statement showed that MEPI and its ARBs signed new AVAs that would provide workers in the MEPI banana farm a significantly improved package of land rental, salaries, and benefits.

Both the MEPI management and members of the Davao Marsman Agrarian Reform Beneficiaries Development Cooperative (DAMARB) described the amended AVA as a “win-win” solution that would guarantee the ARBs an unmatched array of benefits.

To recall, DAR earlier recommended the cancellation of the lease AVA amid complaints by the cooperatives against MEPI for alleged violation of several provisions of the existing contracts.

“Whilst MEPI has strong legal grounds to question the cancellation of the lease AVA, this will be a very long process which will delay the grant of benefits to landowners. With this win-win solution, the ARBs immediately enjoy the economic benefits of land ownership. This may be considered a landmark approach for addressing other AVA controversies,” MEPI president Antero Sison Jr. said in his letter to President Rodrigo Duterte.

Sison said that MEPI already informed DAR about the new AVAs and that it already followed this up with the agency through a separate notification.

Under the amended AVAs, the benefits now include signing bonus and retroactive and advance rental payments for each ARB-signatory amounting to R105,000 as well as a regular monthly income for each of them.

Sison said majority of the ARBs working in the Marsman plantation have already signed the amended agreement.

According to him, 489 out of the 793 ARBs have so far signed the amended agreement, while at least 18 more ARBs who are residing outside Davao del Norte and/or are sick or incapacitated have committed to sign through their representatives.

"As your Excellency has voiced in a number of occasions, the Republic continues to be run under democratic principles and hence, the wishes of the majority must prevail,” Sison said.