Multinational banana firm mulls closure

COTABATO CITY, Philippines – Thousands may lose their jobs if a multinational firm that runs a Cavendish banana plantation in Maguindanao  pushes through with its plan to close the company permanently due to security problems.

The firm has suspended its operation for three weeks now.

Muslimin Jakilan, labor secretary for the Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao, told ARMM Gov. Mujiv Hataman on Friday that officials of Delinanas Banana Plantation in Datu Abdullah Sangki town had informed his office of its plan to close shop.

Tension was first felt in the plantation when gunmen ambushed a convoy of company officials three weeks ago, wounding the firm’s chief security officer.

Masked men, armed with assault rifles, cut hundreds of banana trees in the firm’s plantation a week later.

Villagers said two quarreling families have something to do with the problems besetting the multinational firm, which started operating about two years ago.

Hataman said he ordered members of the ARMM’s regional cabinet to help Maguindanao Gov. Esmael Mangudadatu address the problem.

Last Tuesday, Mangudadatu met with personnel of the company, a subsidiary of Del Monte Corp., to discuss the problem.

Mangudadatu said the problem could be resolved, as long as stakeholders, the municipal government unit, the company workers and leaders of local sectors worked together to address the problem.

Hataman has ordered the regional police headquarters based in Parang town in Maguindanao to support Mangudadatu’s efforts.

Hataman said Mangudadatu requested the Army’s 6th Infantry Division to help secure the banana plantation.