A civil society organization monitoring environmental concerns in Negros Occidental has welcomed the recent actions taken by Governor Eugenio Lacson on the controversial palm oil plantation project in Candoni town.
In a press statement on Thursday, June 12, The Negrosanon Initiative for Climate and the Environment (NICE) said Governor Lacson’s request to the Department of Environment and Natural Resources (DENR) for immediate intervention was a “step in the right direction” amid mounting public concern over alleged violations committed by Hacienda Asia Plantations, Inc. (HAPI), the firm operating the 6,000-hectare plantation.
In his two seperate letters, Lacson asked the Environmental Management Bureau (EMB) to issue a cease-and-desist order and requested HAPI to suspend all earth-moving activities in the area while issues are being resolved.
“The action of the Governor shows that positive change is possible when those in power listen to the voice of the people,” said Joshua Villalobos, NICE Secretary-General, referencing a petition launched on June 5, World Environment Day, which gathered hundreds of signatures.
San Carlos Bishop Gerardo Alminaza, chair of the NICE Wisdom Council, also backed the move and urged DENR Secretary Popo Lotilla, who will officially sit on June 17, to personally visit Negros and address the community’s concerns.
“Every day that HAPI’s operations continue, irreversible damage is being done to our forests, watersheds, wildlife, and communities,” Alminaza said.
Defiant HAPI
During a dialogue at the DENR provincial office on June 11, HAPI reportedly agreed to halt its earth-moving operations while discussions with authorities continue. However, NICE remains skeptical due to previous instances where similar commitments were not upheld.
The group also pointed out that HAPI has received multiple notices of violation for operating without necessary environmental and quarry permits. As of June 11, the company had yet to settle its fines and penalties, NICE said.
Since last year, HAPI has continued to defy environmental regulations and ignore public outcry. Despite earlier assurances that it would halt all earthmoving activities—except for plantation work—while securing the necessary ECC, reports from NICE and local stakeholders revealed that HAPI resumed and continued such operations.
Citing legal provisions, the group called on the DENR to assert its mandate to monitor the plantation, saying it should not require permission from any private entity to enforce environmental laws.
Furthermore, NICE reiterated that the land in question includes areas covered by an ancestral domain claim and that the necessary Free, Prior, and Informed Consent (FPIC) or a Certificate of Non-Overlap from the National Commission on Indigenous Peoples (NCIP) has not been secured. This, they argue, makes the project non-compliant with the Indigenous Peoples’ Rights Act and other environmental laws.
“As long as the palm oil plantation continues, the destruction of our natural ecosystems also continues. We cannot wait any longer,” said Alminaza, reiterating the group’s call for the DENR to act decisively.
Efforts are ongoing to reach HAPI and the DENR for comment.*
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.