Accidental blessings! Mindanao Tribes To Produce Wooden Palettes for Dole Phil.

“Kung laging naglalakad, merong matitisod.”

This is a Filipino idiom which means “He who walks always will really discover something.”

During lunch at the Kalsangi Golf Club in Polomolok, South Cotabato tendered by Dole Philippines executives yesterday, I overheard them discuss a problem on wood supply for palette making.

Actually, I was with Gov. Bombit Adiong of Lanao del Sur and we visited a cattle fattening.farm in Polomok after which we decided to have lunch at Kalsangi.

We were joined by Dole Phils. Executives and officers of Mahintana Foundation, an NGO helping development initiatives in Mindanao.

Palettes are needed in transportating goods because it facilitates loading and unloading using a forklift.

In the case of Dole Phils. which produces both fresh and canned pineapple, palettes are an important logistical requirement.

Hearing the conversation between Dole Phils. Vice President and Managing Director Nicholaos Yiannakis and Martiniano Magdolot of Mahintana Foundation about the need for a 2,000 hectare Bagras (Eucalyptus) plantation for a sustainable wooden palette supply, I volunteered the information that the Mindanao Development Authority is helping the Indigenous People develop their ancestral domains.

One of the activities introduced is sustainable tree farming where the IPs could harvest the trees that they plant.

The problem would be how to find a steady and profitable market.

I immediately asked Nicholaos if Dole Phils. would be interested in signing a marketing and supply agreement with the Ata Manobo tribe of Kapalong, Davao del Norte.

The Ata Manobo tribe of Kapalong is the first beneficiary of the Adopt-a-Tribal.Family Program initiated by the Mindanao Development Authority and the Provincial Government of Davao del Norte.

Nicholaos immediately agreed saying that it could be a good CSR Project for Dole Phils., formerly an American company but which had been acquired by Itucho of Japan.

The program will involve the Ata Manobo Families as producers and processors and makers of the wooden palettes, Development Bank of the Phils. as the financing group, PLGU Davao del Norte as the loan fund conduit, and Dole Phils as the off-taker.

MinDA and the National Commission on the Indigenous People will jointly supervise the project.

The TESDA will provide the training for IPs on palette-making while DSWD will provide initial financial.assistance until the IP families are able to stand on their own.

Nicholaos and I bumped fists and verbally sealed the deal.

By next week, the formal and official documents will be signed.

Once again it is proven: “Kung madalas maglakad, may natitisod!”

#KungGustoMaramingParaan!

#letswalkanextrakilometer!

#GovernanceIsCommonSense!

(Photos in Dole Phils. Kalsangi were taken by Mayette Tudlas. Photos of wooden palettes were dowmloaded from.public websites while those of the tribal people were taken by MinDA Media Team.)