The palm oil plantation operated by Hacienda Asia Plantation Inc. (HAPI) in Candoni, Negros Occidental, remains under a cease and desist order issued by the Department of Environment and Natural Resources due to documented environmental issues, the Negrosanon Initiative for Climate and the Environment (NICE) said in a report Saturday, Jan. 17.
HAPI has also not complied with key regulatory requirements, including the Environmental Compliance Certificate (ECC) and the Free, Prior, and Informed Consent (FPIC) of the indigenous community in Candoni, NICE said.
Despite continuous requests and follow-ups, HAPI has yet to finalize and submit its updated Comprehensive Development and Management Plan (CDMP), which is intended to outline the necessary corrective measures the company must undertake, it added.
These updates were shared during an updating meeting requested by NICE, presided over by Department of Environment and Natural Resources-Negros Island Region Regional Director Charlie Fabre and attended by Assistant Regional Director Joan Gerangaya, as well as representatives from the provincial government and the National Commission on Indigenous Peoples on January 15.
NICE reiterated during the meeting the need to ensure that HAPI is held accountable for its violations and to ensure that the next process for the company to secure permits is transparent, participatory, and accountable.*
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