7/20/2004 (PHILIPPINE DAILY INQUIRER) PUERTO PRINCESA CITY - Despiteenvironmental concerns from non-government organizations, Palawan willpush through with its plan to make palm oil production a major industry inthe province.

Aside from an ordinance seeking the establishment of the Palm Oil IndustryDevelopment of Palawan at the provincial council, the state-run PalawanState University (PSU) opened a one-year course in Oil Palm ProductionTechnology.

During its initial offering, PSU admitted 40 students who would undergotraining in palm oil production.

Dr. Teresita Salva, PSU president, said the first batch of graduates willautomatically get accreditation and are qualified to get a loan package.

She said jobs would be created if the project was implemented.

Proponents said palm oil production would generate 10 times the profitmade by ordinary farmers engaged in rice, corn and coconut production.

Salva cited Malaysia, the largest exporter of palm oil in the world, as anexample.

Vice Gov. David Ponce de Leon, one of the proponents of the industry, said"PSU is going beyond tradition, which is something that is the need ofPalawan (sic)."

Dr. Edgardo Castillo, PSU vice president for research, said thePhilippines needed a 104,000-hectare plantation for oil palm to answer thelocal demand in palm oil.

Palm oil, used in fast-foods and cosmetics, is the second most in-demandoil in the world.

He said Palawan was fortunate because it got 20,000 hectares that would beused as a plantation. The oil palm production will start in 2005.

The plantation sites are located in the southern municipalities ofBrooke's Point and Espaola.

Castillo added that of the 100 hectares in Espaola, 50 hectares will bethe planting site while the other 50 hectares will serve as a nursery.

"The investors required the provincial government to produce one ECC(Environmental Compliance Certificate) for the growers," said Castillo. Ifthis will be complied [with], an individual grower needs no separate ECC.

The Palawan NGO Network Inc., an umbrella organization of almost all NGOsin the province, and the Environmental Legal Assistance Center hadexpressed fears that palm oil production will only bring moreenvironmental degradation if not managed properly.

Since early last year, the NGOs have started their information andeducation campaign against the ill effects of monoculture, which the palmoil industry will engender, that threatens the widespread conversion offorests.

During a forum last year, Anthony Sebastian, an expert on the environment,said that since oil palm was a monoculture crop, the ecosystem would bedestroyed. This will lead to a loss in support system that will eventuallydestroy rivers and other bodies of water.