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The 39 municipalities encompassing Lanao del Norte
and Sur that forms part of the ancestral Lanao Sultanate lands will
soon host the largest commercial malunggay plantation in the
country.
Johanne Edward Labay, program and
technical committee chairman of the Farmer’s Sectoral Council (FSC),
said the Lanao sultanate’s area covering 39 municipalities will
set aside 2,000 hectares for the contract growing of malunggay, of
which the seeds will be bought by Secura International for the
extraction of its oil.
Members of the FSC, a
consultative body under the National Anti-Poverty Commission (NAPC),
facilitated signing of the agreement between Secura and the
representatives of the Lanao Sultanate, headed by Sultan Macaagal
Limbobongan. The latter will chair the body formed to oversee the
planting of malunggay in the said ancestral lands.
Sultan Ismael Pangcatan was
appointed vice-chairman of the body, which has for its members Abdul
Nasser Adiong and Aminda Marzok.
Secura Chairman and Chief
Executive Officer Danilo Manayaga signed on the behalf of his
company, which has a large requirement for malunggay seeds.
The agreement was signed in
Manila during one of the basic sectors summit of the NAPC.
“We are very happy that members
of the FSC who also form part of the Farmer Business Development
Corp. successfully facilitated this contract growing agreement which
will help develop parts of Muslim Mindanao,” Labay said.
Victorino Ujano and Romy
Rubion of the FSC added that Christians and Muslims should unite in
pursuing development in the countryside; because that is one of the
ways the Philippines can achieve lasting peace.
Under the agreement, Secura will
buy the dried malunggay seeds that will be harvested by the Muslim
farmers involved in the project. The company will also provide the
planting materials for free.
Secura is propagating the
commercial planting of malunggay nationwide, which can help
alleviate poverty in the countryside. It has undertaken studies on
the use of malunggay for applications in food processing, cosmetics,
pharmaceuticals and biofuels.
In January, a team of
Masters of Business Administration students from the Massachusetts
Institute of Technology (MIT) recommended the commercial cultivation
of malunggay nationwide because of its potential for biofuel
production.
The foreign students said
malunggay-oil production could generate millions of jobs and help
alleviate poverty in the rural communities.
--Conrad Cariño
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