MALAYBALAY CITY (Mar. 03) – Governor Jose Ma. R. Zubiri Jr. has announced that effective this month of March, the Provincial Government of Bukidnon (PGB) will begin implementing the P25,000 minimum annual rental for all agricultural lands in the province that are leased by banana and pineapple plantation entities.

The Governor conveyed the information through a Facebook post this week from the Capitol’s Public Affairs and Information Assistance (PAIA) Division.

Gov. Zubiri is basing the newly approved “Agricultural Rental Law 2020 of the Province of Bukidnon.”

Zubiri said those with contracts will amend the rental agreement by following the new rates of not less than P25,000 per year. 

He also encouraged the landowners to come to his office for assistance should they met problems with it.

The Sangguniang Panlalawigan (SP) of Bukidnon recently passed the amended version of the proposed ordinance No. 11-2019 (25th SP). Fixing the minimum rental rates for all agricultural lands in the province that are leased by banana and pineapple plantation entities, also known as “The Agricultural Rental Law 2020 of the Province of Bukidnon.”

The Ordinance authored by all SP Members covers all agricultural companies, whether operated as sole proprietors, partnerships, or corporations that are engaged in the business of pineapple or banana in the province.

All subsisting contracts with a rental base below P25,000 shall be deemed amended upon the effectivity of the Ordinance but shall cover only the unexpired term of the contract.

Any agricultural plantation firms undertaking business in the province without complying with the prescribed minimum rental rate shall be recommended for non-issuance of local business permits, revocation of its Environmental Compliance Certificate (ECC), and be declared persona non grata.

The Provincial Agriculture Office is the lead agency in implementing the ordinance. This is in collaboration with the Municipal and City Agriculture’s Office in the province. It shall likewise act as a monitoring body and shall render a report of violations to the office of the Governor and the SP.  

Engr. Alson Quimba, Provincial Agriculture Officer, manifested earlier that the minimum rental rate of P25,000 is just enough. And that beyond that amount, the landowners of other crops might be tempted to lease their lands to banana and pineapple plantation firms, thus, endangering the stability of food security.

In a joint committee report of the committees on laws, and rules and privileges, banana and pineapple firms Unifrutti Tropical Philippines, Inc., Manupali-Agri-Development Corp. (MKADC), Mt. Kitanglad Agri-Ventures, Inc. (MKAVI), Dole Philippines, Inc., Del Monte Fresh Produce (Phil), Inc., Davao Agricultural Ventures Corp., Agrinanas Development Co. Inc, and Mindanao Agritraders, Inc. have submitted their position papers and manifested that they are already compliant of the P25,000 minimum rental. 

By: Mel B. Madera