ARBs appeal to NPA, gov’t

Agrarian reform beneficiaries (ARBs) are appealing to the national government for necessary actions to stop rebels from attacking agricultural plantations in Mindanao.

Farmers also plead to the National People’s Army (NPA) to stop harassing big plantations that may cause operation shutdown and lay off of farm workers.

“The attacks have not yet resulted in any physical casualty to plantation workers but a much greater injury awaits, not only the farm laborers but also the economy in general,” ARBs spokesperson Eduardo Maningo said.

Maningo emphasized that NPAs have stepped up their violent activities against the plantations since end-January, with the number of attacks from Jan. 22 to Feb. 19 already exceeding total attacks for whole of 2015.

Last year, the NPAs attacked plantations almost on a monthly basis and burned heavy equipment, container vans and cargo trucks loaded with bananas in various parts of Mindanao.

The situation in Mindanao is expected to worsen when multinationals start to pack-up and leave for other countries eyeing to grab the lucrative fruit export market in Asia and the Middle East from Mindanao exporters.

“The government will also lose the taxes collected through property taxes, business permits, value added tax and income taxes derived from investments of the multinationals,” Maningo said.

Banana plantations in Mindanao account for 83,000 hectares and employ over 300,000 workers.

“The government should step in and do something about it. If the government doesn’t do anything, then we will all be losers,” Maningo said.

– Louise Maureen Simeon