COTABATO RUBBER WORKERS PROTEST LOW PRICES; CLAIM CARTEL CONTROLLING RUBBER INDUSTRY

By Malu Cadelina-Manar

Sun.Star Davao

KIDAPAWAN CITY — Close to 5,000 rubber farmers in North Cotabato are set to hold street protests on Monday, July 22, to demand an increase in the buying prices of rubber cup lump in the province of North Cotabato.

Boy Ambat, leader of the Free Tappers Association (FTA) in North Cotabato, claimed a cartel is “controlling” the rubber prices.

This cartel, Ambat said, is being “protected” by some government officials.

He, however, refused to identify those behind the monopoly.

Ambat and his group will hold protests in front of the municipal hall of Makilala tomorrow, July 22, timed for President Aquino’s State of the Nation Address.

They urged the Provincial Government to “make good” their promise to give rubber tappers the subsidy that they need.

“During our meeting last May with the officials of the Provincial Government and the Makilala local government, they promised us of subsidy. Yet, until now, that did not happen,” said Ambat.

The situation of the rubber industry in North Cotabato, based on the assessment made by Ambat’s group, has become ‘abnormal’, since the price of the rubber cup lump is ‘at its lowest level’.

A kilo of rubber cup lump is bought by traders at P36 or 70 percent lower than the prices two years ago, according to the group.

Due to decrease in the prices, a rubber tapper receives only part of his share in selling their produce at P80 per day.

A rubber tapper usually gets 35 to 40 percent from the income.

Most of the tappers do not own even a hectare of rubber farm.

“Kini ang panahon nga mangayo mi og tabang sa gubyerno, sa Provincial Government, sa Makilala LGU, sa Department of Agriculture, og kang President Aquino. Tabangi ninyo mi maka-survive sa tumang kalisud tungod sa sige’g baba sa presyo sa produkto sa goma,” Ambat said.

(This is the time we implore the help of our government officials, the Provincial Government, the Makilala LGU, the Department of Agriculture, and the Aquino administration. Please help us survive from too much poverty brought about by lower prices of rubber products.) (Malu C. Manar/Sun.Star Davao)

Source: Manny Piñol