TFM hits Teves for jatropha deal

TASK Force Mapalad (TFM), the national federation of farmers, farm workers and individuals working for agrarian reform and development, has criticized former Negros Oriental Rep. Herminio Teves for signing a memorandum of understanding last Friday with a European biofuels company to cultivate jatropha in his farm for biodiesel production.

TFM said the contract signed between Herminio Teves & Co. Inc. (HTCI) and Global Trees Technologies Inc. (GTTI) is a mere ploy to get Teves' land beyond the reach of the Comprehensive Agrarian Reform Program, and could also be dangerous to the country's already dwindling agricultural production.

TFM said at least 19 farmers in Teves' former landholdings in Barangay Caranoche, Sta. Catalina, Negros Oriental have been given their CLOAs in 1996 yet but they remain uninstalled due to Teves' resistance. "Kitang-kita naman ang ginawang ito ng dating congressman na isa mismong landowner ng mga malalawak na lupain sa Negros ay pagtakas sa CARP habang naisasantabi ang mga mahihirap na magsasakang tulad namin," TFM president Jose Rodito Angeles said.

Teves has also announced that his firm will soon sign a $20 million agreement with GTTI, a global biofuels forestry company which operates in Australia, Nicaragua and Spain, for the construction of a turbine-run plant that will extract oil from jatropha seeds.

"The partnership with Global Tree Trust will result in increased investments in the economy of Oriental Negros, generate livelihood, address climate change, and transform Dumaguete into the country's biofuel capital," Teves said after the MOU signing.

He also presented President Arroyo a study on the viability of jatropha as alternative fuel source during the signing, showing that farmers can earn from P39,000 to P40,000 a year beginning on the fifth year of planting jatropha. The report said an initial negative return on investment of P2,800 will be incurred in the first year but the second year would see farmers' income rising to some P22,000 and another P10,000 on the third and fourth year.

"Sa palagay ni Mr. Teves kami ay makikinabang sa milyon-milyong dolyar na proyektong ito. Pero sana tingnan muna niya ang kanyang mga paglabag sa karapatan ng mga magsasakang nagtatrabaho sa kanyang lupain," Angeles said.

"Our concern is making unproductive lands productive and useful at the same time generating employment," Teves said, adding that 25,000 hectares of idle lands in Dumaguete and nearby towns will be planted to jatropha.

GTTI senior board director Xavier Roig said they are looking forward to working with HTCI "because we can form a perfect combination of local agricultural experience with advanced biofuel research and development."