The Sangguniang Panlalawigan (SP) of Davao del Norte is seeking to reopen two provincial roads which were closed last year by the management of the Davao Prison and Penal Farm (Dapecol) to prevent the spread of Panama disease to other banana plantations.
The SP tasked its legal committee to find legal remedies that will allow the local government to reopen the roads and, at the same time, protect Davao del Norte’s banana industry.
In his report to the provincial board during an SP session on Monday, Provincial Engr. Raul Mabanglo said his team could not yet construct barrier canal and fence, tire baths and other structures that were deemed vital for the reopening of the El Canto road in Barangay Bobongon and La Libertad road in Barangay Balagunan in Santo Tomas, Davao del Norte.
These two roads traversed thick banana plantations in the area.
Thousands of people in at least six barangays near the plantations of Tagum Agricultural Development Co. Inc. (Tadeco) and other private growers have complained about the closure of the roads due to the difficulties they face in reaching the national highway.
The management of Dapecol closed the roads early last year supposedly upon the request of Tadeco, the country’s largest banana firm. But Tadeco’s management denied it.
Dapecol’s Prison Supt. Venju Tesoro eventually admitted to ordering the closure of the roads purportedly upon the advice of higher officials of the Bureau of Corrections.
Tesoro was relieved from his post after he was accused of giving certain prisoners VIP treatment.
Dapecol has a joint-venture agreement with Tadeco for banana production. Under the deal, Dapecol allows 5,308 hectares of its land to be planted with Cavendish bananas for export. In turn, Tadeco hired inmates to work as laborers.
The construction of tire baths and other quarantine facilities was earlier considered by Dapecol officials as requisites for reopening the provincial roads.
SP officials noted that more than 2,000 hectares of banana plantations in Cotabato had already been wiped out by Panama disease. The installation of tire baths was one of the measures being instituted by the local government to prevent the spread of the banana disease.