Philippine executive wants probe on Dole pineapple coops

Officials in Surallah, South Cotabato would investigate two cooperatives with "growership" contract with pineapple giant Dole Philippines Inc. for allegedly operating in the town without the necessary environmental permits, an official said. Surallah Vice Mayor Antonio Rosal said he would personally push the inquiry against T'boli Multi-Fruits Grower Cooperative and Laconon 100 Multi-Purpose Cooperative.

Congratulations to the graduates of 2006! Post your graduation experiences and greetings here. Both cooperatives, which have separate marketing contracts with Dole, were earlier fined P100,000 each for violating environmental laws in T'boli and Surallah towns. "The report already reached me and we will probe this to come up with necessary ordinances to prevent the same from happening," Rosal said in a radio interview.

Rosal said he would task the committee on agriculture headed by Councilor Cesar Tolentino to conduct an inquiry on the activities of the two cooperatives. Datu Tungko Saikol, regional director of the Environmental Management Bureau, recently penalized the two cooperatives for violating several provisions of their respective environmental compliance certificates.

Saikol issued the order based on complaints filed last year by the Coalition of Social Development Organization in South Cotabato. The respective managers of the cooperatives however said in a joint statement that they have applied for environmental compliance certificates permit in the contested area and that it is still on its finalization stage.

Those who filed the complaint last year put the heat on Dole Philippines, which is buying the pineapple harvests from the plantations for processing in its cannery in Polomolok town.

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