1,500 workers to lose jobs if firm shuts down

COTABATO CITY – At
least 1,500 banana plantation workers in Maguindanao stand to lose jobs if
the Delinanas Banana firm decides to completely cease operations in Datu Abdullah Sangki
town in Maguindanao, officials said today.

Muslimin Jakilan,
regional secretary of the Department of Labor and Employment in the Autonomous
Region in Muslim Mindanao (DOLE-ARMM), said his office received notice from the
banana firm informing the department of its plan to shut down operations due to security reasons.Haron Bandila,
ARMM Business Council president, also confirmed the Delinanas’ plans to shut
down its operation in Maguindanao.

But officials
were doing its best to prevent the firm from leaving.

Maguindanao
Governor Esmael Toto” Mangudadatu has assured investors in Maguindanao that
local leaders and security forces have devised measures to ensure the safety of
banana plantation workers.

Mangudatu on
Friday said he met with the investors of Del Monte Philippines and Delinanas
Banana Corporation and managed to convince them that normalcy will be restored
in Datu Abdullah Sangki.

The chief
security of Delinanas banana firm was hurt when unidentified men ambushed him
as he and other officials were heading to the packing plant area.

Because of the
incident, the banana firm decided to call off operation unless security is
assured for its people.

”If the banana
firm ceases to operate, it will affect the economy of the province and many
workers will lose employment,” Mangudadatu told ABS-CBN TV Friday.

I assured them
(firm officials) na magkakaroon ng security para sa kanila at pag-uusapan ang
all sides, including land owners who partnered in the establishment of the
plantation tungkol sa seguridad ng lahat (I assured the firm officials about
security of all sides, we have talked with land owners who partnered with local
investors),” he said.

The governor also
asked the Army's 6th Infantry Division to deploy more troops in and around the
banana plantation in Shariff Aguak.