by Lorie Ann A. Cascaro
The Sibulan River in Darong, Sta. Cruz, Davao del Sur is the lifeblood of the province. This much was what the town mayor said during the manifesto signing for the conservation of the river dubbed “Gasa sa Suba”, last June 28 at the Hedcor Sibulan, Inc. plant.
The river is not only the source of water for bathing, washing, laundry and tourism—as it is also a place for white water tubing. It is also the source of water supply for companies located in the area.
Mayor Joel Ray L. Lopez, a lawyer, said it is high time that the people of Sta. Cruz, including local government units (LGU) and private firms, unite in protecting the environment for the utilization and production of national wealth. “In history, the best evidence is document,” he said. Thus, they signed a manifesto of commitment.
The occasion was initiated by local government units, particularly the barangays of Darong, Jose Rizal, Astorga, Tbolo, Sibulan and Coronon. The big companies which also committed thir support were San Miguel Brewery (SMB), Inc., CJ Toyota Tsusho Philippines, Inc., Hedcor Sibulan, Inc. (HSI), International Pipe Industries (IPI) Steel, Ayala Agricultural Development Corp., and Oboza Realty and Development Corporation.
“Daghan na nagagamit sa river (Many companies are now utilizing the river.),” Lopez said. He mentioned that SMB alone uses four bottles of water in the entire process of producing a single bottle of beer. The company contributes about PhP700 million to the national government every year. But Lopez said the province will request for a 40% share of that amount for the local government because the SMB has been benefiting from local resources, such as the Sibulan River.
Under construction is CJ Toyota Tsukushi, which will produce xylose, a natural sweetener with zero calories, out of coconut shell and will be using about 3,000 cubic meters of water from the river every day for washing and production. Expected to operate by January next year, it will be collecting 300 metric tons of coconut shells per day to complete its quota of 15,000 metric tons per year for exportation to China, Japan, Korea, the United States of America and United Kingdom.
Corporate Social Responsibility
Although it does not use water from the Sibulan River, the IPI Steel still vowed to participate in protecting and conserving it. Pompey Sorongon, a company engineer, said the company has been supportive of the LGU in preserving the Sibulan River, not because they get water from it but their plant is located in the area.
“It has been part of our corporate social responsibility as the river is a source of life,” Sorongon said. He added that they had spearheaded bamboo tree planting along the river banks, together with the HSI, and asked help from the barangay. The company is strict with its garbage disposal such that littering even minute trash to the river is prohibited. He said their scraps are immediately and regularly collected by scrap buyers from Davao City.
The SMB, Inc. has also been consistent in performing its social responsibility to help communities and protect the environment, plant manager Noel Villanueva said. “We don’t believe environment protection hinders progress,” he said.
The SMB, Inc. has adopted sites for tree planting and conducted coastal cleanups. It had been the recipient of the energy efficient award by Don Emilio Abello Award for three consecutive years. This award was due to their capability of reducing energy consumption on the same production yield with the use of a regenerative type of power. “As environment thrives, business thrives,” Villanueva said.
EcoGov
The initial plans of the big firms to rehabilitate the Sibulan River include bamboo planting along river banks, reforestation of the watershed area, and provision of livelihood projects for communities in the barangays concerned.
Ferdinand Esguerra, Mindanao regional manager, of the Philippine Environmental Governance Project (EcoGov), said they provide technical assistance in formulating the conservation agreement and in implementing the Sibulan River conservation project. He said they (EcoGov) hope to accomplish the “ridge to reef” conservation strategy in Sta. Cruz.
“Business interest plus environmental protection and conservation can go together,” he said, noting that the HSI vowed to rehabilitate 400 hectares of Sibulan’s watershed area and that the SMC, Inc. was in the process of planning activities that would have a positive impact on the environment and community.
