Sumifru belies operation causes toxic pesticides contamination in Davao City

Saying it is a victim of misinformation, multinational agricultural firm Sumifru Philippines Corporation has belied that its operation here has caused the contamination of residents living near pineapple plantations with toxic pesticides.

In an emailed statement on Thursday, Melvin Languido, Sumifru’s manager for food safety, occupational safety and environment, stressed that the company “has placed strong emphasis on integrity and ethical behavior in its agribusiness venture.”

Languido clarified that it has no pineapple business operation in Davao City, as claimed by a representative of non-government organization Interfacing Development Interventions for Sustainability (IDIS), Inc.

The company was reacting to a story published by MindaNews last February 20, which was based on the result of the study con- ducted by Wonjin Institute of Occupational and Environmental Health (WIOEH) in South Korea.

The study showed that house dust and residents living near monocrop pineapple plantations in Baguio District have tested positive for traces of highly toxic

FSUMIFRU, P6

In a speech Friday during the Fraternal Order of Eagles-Philippine Eagles, Inc. here, Vice President Duterte urged fellow members to partner with the government to be of help to their fellow Filipinos.

The event also saw the induction of the new club members and the creation of the Lady Eagles Club, where the Vice President praised the group for upholding the principle of a “strong sense of family and community through service.”

“Without a doubt, one of your greatest assets is the number of fraternal ties and commitments you have deeply and meaningfully implanted in our communities. Your acts of kindness have grown into a powerful force for good – spawning optimism and inspiring community members to be productive and better citizens, especially our children and the youth,” she said.

Duterte cited the involvement of the group in several social causes, which

“It’s admirable how you so willingly pooled your resources to respond to certain issues and basic problems besetting underprivileged Filipinos like hunger and child malnutrition, poverty alleviation, homelessness, disaster preparedness and resiliency, and even peace and order,” she pointed out.

She also thanked the group for their assistance when the satellite offices of the Office of the Vice President needed force multipliers for response and relief efforts.

“These have brought you and our fellow Filipinos together. These helped you work toward a shared objective of strengthening relationships among Filipinos and fostering a sense of family and community,” Duterte said.

She also urged the group to also be a partner of the Department of Education for its school-based feeding program.

“If you are thinking about how to help in some more, the Department of Education is looking for