Negros Occidental Governor Eugenio Jose V. Lacson has called on newly-appointed Environment Secretary Raphael Perpetuo M. Lotilla to intervene as Hacienda Asia Plantations, Inc. (HAPI) continues earthmoving operations in Candoni town despite repeated pledges to halt and its ongoing failure to secure the required Environmental Compliance Certificate (ECC).
In a letter dated June 9, 2025, addressed to the DENR, Lacson noted that HAPI had previously acknowledged its obligation to secure an ECC before pushing through with plantation development.
An ECC is a crucial document issued by the Department of Environment and Natural Resources (DENR), certifying that a proposed project will not pose significant harm to the environment.
“It is worth noting that during the meetings held in Candoni on November 7, 2024, and the Multi-Partite Monitoring Team (MMT) meeting on January 23, 2025, HAPI acknowledged the need to secure an Environmental Compliance Certificate (ECC) before proceeding with its plantation establishment activities,” Lacson wrote.
Defiant
Despite that acknowledgment and a directive from the MMT, HAPI has yet to obtain the certificate and continues its earthmoving operations. “HAPI continues to conduct earth-moving activities, causing potential harm to the environment, without the requisite ECC,” Lacson said.
The MMT includes representatives from DENR’s Environmental Management Bureau (EMB), Provincial Environment and Management Office (PEMO), Provincial Environment and Natural Resources Office (PENRO)-Negros Occidental, CENRO-Kabankalan, Local Government Unit of Candoni, civil society groups, and indigenous peoples.
The project, managed by the Consunji group, involves converting over 6,000 hectares of forest land in the town into a palm oil plantation through an Integrated Forest Management Agreement (IFMA) with the Department of Environment and Natural Resources (DENR), as part of a long-term agro-industrial venture.
Lacson attached to his letter an online petition launched by NICE, calling for the immediate cessation of HAPI’s activities. “The petition highlights the concerns of the local community and underscores the need for urgent action to protect the environment,” he said.
“As DENR’s chief executive, your leadership is crucial to ensure that environmental laws and regulations are enforced and that local communities’ rights are protected,” Lacson said, expressing openness to further dialogue with the agency to address what he called a “critical environmental issue.”
Legit this time?
The Negrosanon Initiative for Climate and the Environment (NICE), one of the groups monitoring HAPI’s activity, reported that the company had a June 11, 2025 dialogue with DENR, PEMO, religious leaders, civil society groups, and NICE.
“Hacienda Asia Plantations, Inc. (HAPI) has agreed to stop all earthmoving operations at its Candoni, Negros Occidental site,” NICE said in a Facebook post. HAPI representatives, however, said planting activities would continue.
Despite public pledges since last year, NICE and local stakeholders reported that HAPI resumed and continued earthmoving, alarming environmental groups and communities that rely on the land.
Candoni Mayor Ray Ruiz said on October 21, 2024, that he already urged HAPI to secure the required DENR permit, but the company has yet to comply despite its promise to halt operations in November.
Meanwhile, HAPI has not released any statement following NICE’s initial pronouncement that the company agreed to halt all earthmoving activities while its ECC remains pending.*
Reymund Titong is a Filipino journalist steadily building his voice in the field of news reporting, driven by a commitment to tell meaningful and relevant stories.
He serves as a correspondent for Rappler, maintains a personal blog on Medium, and is the communications officer of Hope Builders Organization Negros Island.