“Kami ang naa sa sagingan, kami ang nagpuyo palibot sa sagingan, wala ma'y namatay ug nagkasakit kanamo [We are the ones inside the plantation, we live surrounded by bananas and yet not one of us has died]," Renante Bangoy, chairman of 911 Movement said in an article published online.
The "911 Movement: Save the Philippine Banana Industry," the pro-aerial spray group was formed in Panabo City Saturday in the meeting of plantation workers and growers who will be directly hit by the adverse effects of the aerial spray ban on the banana industry.
"If the ban gets implemented, the quality of our bananas will fall, the market will collapse and the industry will have to close," Bangoy said.
At present, there are over 30,000 hectares of agricultural land in the province of Davao del Norte that are existing banana plantations, directly employing an estimated 60,000 people and indirectly employing another 60,000.
"We have to speak up as it is our families that are at stake now. They are trying to kill the very industry that feeds thousands of families. What will they do when the plantations close? What will happen to us?" Bangoy added. "Sila ba'y mupakaon sa amoa [Will they feed us]?"
The 911 Movement leader also challenged the banana industry critics to actually visit a banana plantation and see if there is any one community that will agree to their claims on the adverse effects of aerial spraying.
"Ihunong na nila nang pag pangintriga nga walay mga facts [They should stop spreading these stories that are not based on facts]," he added.
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