Multinational firms to invest in Mindanao’s tuba2

European, Korean and Indian firms are looking into the possibility of investing millions in Mindanao through the establishment of tuba-tuba or jetropha plantations.

However, scientists and some sectors in Mindanao see the forthcoming multinational investments as something that would place not only Mindanao but the whole country at a disadvantage,

“The tuba-tuba or jetropha is the best alternative fuel source that we can get right in our backyards and we should not allow other countries to ex0plore such resources,” Davao Inventors Association president Virgilio Sangutan said.

Sangutan, who is also the chairperson of the Mindanao Inventors Federation, said several companies from Europe, Korea and India are already exploring the possibility of entering into joint venture agreements with Mindanao farmers for the planting of tuba-tuba.

“The joint venture will be welcome by Mindanao farmers because the multinational companies will finance the planting of the tuba-tuba or jetropha,” he said.

However, he said, the joint venture contract will provide that the farmers could not sell the tuba-tuba seeds to other buyers except the multinational companies who financed the venture.

Sangutan, who has patented a way to process crude oil from tuba-tuba into diesel, said “ngano magsugot man ta nga dal’on sa gawas ang tuba-tuba seeds na pwede himoon ug diesel samantalang pwede man nato na pakinabangan diri (why should we allow foreigners to bring our tuba-tuba seeds outside when we can process it here and create our very own diesel).”

A kilo of tuba-tuba seeds, which generally sells for P6.50, can produce 350 milliliter of crude oil. He said three kilos of tuba-tuba can produce one liter of oil. The costs can go down when it is processed on a large-scale basis, he added.

President Gloria Macapagal Arroyo has earlier ordered the military and local government units to convert idle lands into tuba-tuba plantations. The Department of Energy said the country needs to have 100 to 200 hectares planted to tuba-tuba to start the production of jatropha diesel.(lovely a. carillo)