Pomologist seeks Congress action on failed projects

Pomologist Bernie Dizon has written Congress, requesting that an investigation be made into the following:

(1) The death of the multi-million peso orange orchards of the Bugkalots in Casecnans; (2) The death of Nueva Viscaya’s citrus industry; (3)Central Luzon State University’s failed orchard project; (4) The sorry state of the country’s mango and other high value fruit tree industry.

The call for an investigation was contained in a letter to Rep. Rodolfo Agbayani with copies furnished to Senators Ramon B. Magsaysay Jr, chairman, Senate agriculture committee, Richard J. Gordon, Juan M. Flavier and Reps. Rodolfo Q. Agbayani, Juan Edgardo M. Angara, Amado T. Espino, Benasing O. Macarambon Jr., Satur C. Ocampo, Cynthia A. Villar and Manuel E. Zamora.

A copy of the letter was also sent to Dr. Fortunato A. Battad, president emeritus of the Central Luzon State Univesity (CLSU). In his letter, Dizon asked that Congress summon Romeo S. Cabanilla, president of the Aurora State College of Technology, to shed light on the said developments.

Dizon pointed out "that the widespread infestation will eventually affect the neighboring provinces of Nueva Ecija, Isabela and Cagayan. In fact, all the three thousands calamansi, oranges, and dayap seedlings, planted by Dr. Cabanilla in CLSU have been wiped out by tristeza disease which have now spread in Nueva Ecija.

Dizon said it was Dr. Cabanilla who bought 14,000 citrus seedlings rootstocks , 5,000 rambutan seedling rootstocks, 2,000 seedling rootstocks from Batangas which were the subject of his complaint filed with CLSU board of regents, Commission on Higher Education and Malacañang Palace in January 2002.

With some 10,000 hectares of plantations and nurseries, the industry is a major source of income for the growers, mostly the Bugkalots who were displaced by the construction of the multi-purpose project.

David Pasigian, chairman of the Bugkalots Association, said a plant disease called tristeza has devastated some 6,000 hectares of citrus plantations and nurseries as of November 2003.