DENR Sec. Reyes extols oil palm role in Bohol

COMING here to personally extol the help of the newest agricultural wonder plant here in Bohol, Department of Environment and Natural Resources Secretary Angelo Reyes came as invited guest during the inauguration of the Philippine Agriculture Land Development and Mill, Inc. (PALM, Inc.) in Matin-ao, Carmen.

In his message during the program, Secretary Reyes cited the first palm oil processing plant in Bohol as a step in responding to the country's lack of indigenous fuel. Bohol Governor Erico Aumentado shared this stand as he bared that palm oil processing plant is the first major investment in the province inaugurated for the year 2007. “The palm oil industry in the province began in 1998 when players discovered barren and idle lands here and presented the idea of oil palm plantation,” the governor reported.

The palm oil is used mainly for cooking, thus growing and processing one reduces the country's dependence in imported edible oil for cooking. Interestingly, oil palm is also an ingredient for making ice cream, cakes, and pastries; lubricants for machineries and as bio-diesel. He added that the target is for palm oil to be the major player in the production of biodiesel and not just for cosmetics, cooking and pharmaceutical purposes.

Palm oil processing uses the best technology and the initial 6,500 hectares of oil palm planted may soon produce about 30 tons and with a processing mill set here, producers save up to 80 percent of the transport costs, the environment secretary said. Reyes went on to say that the investment is 60 percent Filipino and thus affords local economy to get boosted while another 40 percent is Malaysian owned. Capitalization, according to him is close to P1B, enough to perk up sluggish economies like Bohol . After planning now to expand the areas planted by oil palm to 15,000, and with the great demand for oil, many see Carmen and Talibon as the emerging centers of palm oil industry. Beyond that, the move could also simultaneously put a dent on the threatening poverty that has hounded people.

Sec. Reyes came after a DENR advanced party composed of Assistant Sec Leonilo Lariosa, Regional Executive Director Leonardo Sibbaluca and Forester Nestor Molina and personnel of the local DENR here in Bohol . Reyes, upon whose stint is credited the implementation of the Green Philippine Highways Project (GPH) a re-greening program simultaneously launched throughout the country. Upon his arrival, the environment Secretary was welcomed by local DENR officials and employees at the Tagbilaran City Airport . Also there were PALM, Inc. President Joven Uy, Agriculture Regional Director Ricardo Oblena representing Secretary Arthur Yap, Project Manager Eugene Cahiles of the Agricultural Promotions Center and DILG Provincial Director Rustica Mascariñas. Joven Uy briefed the secretary on the operations of PALM, Inc.

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