Candoni: A civil society organization here has welcomed the move of the Environmental Management Bureau (EMB) 6 (Western Visayas) to put on hold the environmental compliance certificate (ECC) application process of the controversial oil palm project of Hacienda Asia Plantations, Inc. (HAPI) in Candoni, Negros Occidental.

According to Philippines News Agency, Joshua Villalobos, secretary general of the Negrosanon Initiative for Climate and the Environment (NICE), expressed that this suspension is seen as a partial victory in their efforts to uphold environmental justice and protect the community impacted by the project. Villalobos received a letter dated July 23 from EMB-6 officer in charge Vicente Losba±es, in response to NICE's complaint regarding the public scoping activity for HAPI's proposed 6,652.30-hectare oil palm plantation in the villages of Gatuslao and Agboy.

NICE highlighted that HAPI has been operating without an ECC and has been cited for unlawful earth-moving activities by the Provincial Multi-Partite Monitoring Team. The project also proceeded without obtaining free, prior, and informed consent (FPIC) from indigenous peoples (IPs) in the area.

Losba±es stated that EMB-6 had already issued a notice of violation to HAPI on February 28 for implementing the palm oil plantation without proper authorization. A cease-and-desist order (CDO) was subsequently issued on June 5. The issue regarding the lack of FPIC will be forwarded to the Department of Environment and Natural Resources (DENR) - Negros Island Region for further action.

Losba±es mentioned that the ECC application process will remain suspended until the issue of non-compliance with the Integrated Forest Management Agreement law is resolved. This non-compliance could affect the validity of HAPI's tenurial instrument, necessary for ECC issuance.

Governor Eugenio Lacson had previously requested EMB-6 to issue a CDO against HAPI for failing to secure an ECC for its land development activities. Villalobos expressed hope that HAPI would comply with EMB-6's order and demonstrate good faith towards government agencies. He urged DENR to investigate HAPI's violations of its comprehensive development and management plan and ensure accountability under the law.