Gigantic Bukidnon grant for pineapples

Title

Language

English

Source

The American Chamber of Commerce Journal Volume 9 (No. 5) May 1929

Year

1929

Rights

In Copyright - Educational Use Permitted

Fulltext

May, 1929 THE AMERICAN CHAMBER OF COMMERCE JOURNAL 5 Gigantic Bukidnon Grant for Pineapples The Law in the Case Upon recommendation by the Secre tary of Agriculture and Natural Re sources, the Governor-General may, by proclamation, designate any tract or tracts of land of the public domain for the establishment of agricultural colonies; and although the disposition of the land to the colonists shall be made under the provisions of this Act, yet while the Government shall have the supervision and management of said colonies, the Secretary of Agri culture and Natural Resources may make the necessary rules and regula tions for the organization and internal administration of the same. The Secretary of Agriculture and Natural Resources may also, under conditions to be established by the Legis lature, turn over a colony so reserved to any person or corporation, in order that such person or corporation may clear, break, and prepare for cultiva tion the lands of said colony and estab lish the necessary irrigation system and suitable roads and fences; but final disposition shall be made of the land in accordance with the provisions of this Act, subject, however, to such conditions as the Legislature may establish for the reimbursement of the expense incurred in putting such lands in condition for cultivation: Provided, That the Legislature may direct that such land so prepared for cultivation may be disposed of only by sale or lease.—Act 2874 Section\83. The Philippines are to have a brand new farm industry, pineapples in Bukidnon. Yes, sir. Arrangements have been effected with the Philippine Packers Association, local subsidiary of the California Packers Association, and the Alunan plan is to be tried in northern Mindanao for all it is worth. No half-way measures go. The company already has a seed plot of 150 hectares or thereabout, on which pineapples are growing, and the government, on its part, has set aside a reservation of 14,054 hectares. This is 35,130 acres, 35 times the area the land law allows to go to a single farm corporation. It is in fact a very respectable area, as farms usually go: it is the equivalent, of 54 sections of land, more than a township by 28 full sections and a little to spare. This is another of the wonderful ventures which took form during Colonel Stimson’s governorship, which is being carried out now. It is one of those things in which the Stimson administration felt itself so right that perfect frankness with the public seemed unnecessary. If the press learned much, it said little enough— there wasn’t much airing of the plans. Colonel Stimson found a great deal of public opinion here, he says, and he displayed a wholesome respect for it by doing many things in a quiet effective way which didn’t attract its attention. This is one of them. But the actual proclaiming of the reservation has been done by Governor Gilmore. The agriculture undersecretary, too, has been vice gerent for the secretary, who is in Washington. But the great names associated with the in novation are those of Stimson and Alunan, in the executive branch; and those of the advocates of the amended corporation law, in tfye legisla tive. As history is being dated, it is well to record this fact. Much skepticism prevails, but if the scheme succeeds it will establish a new and extensive farm community in Bukidnon and afford em ployment to thousands of families. La Van guardia, not among the scoffers, applauds the scheme in its issue of April 25, sees in it relief of the peasantry from hunger, political eman cipation for the islands, and the means of divert ing the stream of emigrants from Hawaii and the western States to the uncultivated lands of the islands. The plan is very simple. As ascertained thus far, it is this: Money will come from the packers association, that is, from California. Fishermen of Tondo Rivera y Mir Filipino settlers, farm-school graduates pre ferred, will take up claims of 144 hectares each, such a tract being 360 acres or a half-section and a 40-acre pasture over. Paying for this land, the settlers will be granted titles from the government. Each settler, working with hundreds of tenants or hired men, will seed his land to pineapples: the packers association fur nishing the seed, money, etc. When there is a harvest, the settlers will sell their pineapples to the only buyers, the packers association, which will erect a huge factory, can the pine apples, and ship them all over the world. This, in the rough, is the scheme which will put into pineapple cultivation, very soon, such a large slice of Bukidnon lands lying along the Agusan river. Alas, that there should be doub ters! Nevertheless, there are men of experience who feel that the settlers will tend to fail of their ambitions, and that the land will tend to fall into the hands of the pineapple corporation. As to this and a number of other possibilities, only time can tell. In Hawaii the same interests have about 6,000 acres. The largest company, the Hawaiian Packers Association, owns an island and had last year an output of upward of three million cases of pineapples from 22,000 acres. That employs many hands. So it may be seen that when 25,000 acres are in pine apples in the Philippines, many hands will also be employed here. A brand new industry. Yes, sir. In the making. Retail túne American Wholesa Importers • Agents BOTICA BOIE ° MANILA Heavy Chemicals—Fertilizer—Manufacturers We have been selling drugs for 98 years IN RESPONDING TO ADVERTISEMENTS PLEASE MENTION THE AMERICAN CHAMBER OF COMMERCE JOURNAL

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