WHILE Del Monte Philippines, Inc. promotes its agribusiness success online, the Philippine Movement for Climate Justice (PMCJ) alleges that these narratives overshadow historical land conflicts, environmental concerns, and human rights issues in Northern Mindanao.
In a press release dated December 14, PMCJ stated that Del Monte's operations are linked to long standing disputes over ancestral lands. The group traces these tensions back to American colonial-era policies that disrupted indigenous land rights through monocropping and formal land titling—historical disruptions they claim fuel ongoing conflicts.
Citing a 2019 Global Witness report, PMCJ highlighted the 2017 killing of Manobo-Pulangiyon leader Renato Anglao, who opposed land encroachment by rancher Pablo Lorenzo III, the current mayor of Quezon, Bukidnon.
Lorenzo's company, Montalvan Ranch, maintains a crop producer-growership agreement with Del Monte via Kiantig Development Corporation. To date, no one has been prosecuted for Anglao's death.
"Business-as-usual narratives obscure the struggles of indigenous peoples and farmers resisting land grabs, amid violence tied to such resistance," said PMCJ senior Mindanao campaigner Daisy Aballe, criticizing Del Monte's practices.
Similar concerns were raised regarding the 2010 killing of Franklin Labial, leader of the Don Carlos Bukidnon United Farmers Association Inc. (DCBUFAI), after he protested against Davao Agricultural Ventures Corp. (DAVCO), a Del Monte partner. Farmers allege they continue to face harassment over land claims.
Beyond land disputes, environmental and health risks were spotlighted in a 2023 MindaNews report citing a South Korean study, which found toxic pesticide traces in dust and urine samples near Davao pineapple plantations.
"Agrochemical drift harms families, children, and ecosystems, undermining climate resilience and food sovereignty," Aballe warned.
PMCJ and DCBUFAI led a protest in July 2025 at the Department of Agrarian Reform (DAR) Region 10 office, demanding expedited Certificates of Land Ownership (CLOA) for farmers. The groups claim pineapple plantation expansion is encroaching on rice lands, with farmers facing pressure to surrender their plots.
Ian Rivera, PMCJ national coordinator, framed the struggle as systemic.
"Del Monte’s history reflects institutionalized land grabbing tolerated by the government. The fight is for survival against corporate power and climate change. These lands will be reclaimed for justice and climate resilience," Rivera said.
Del Monte Philippines has not publicly responded to the allegations. The controversy underscores the tension between agribusiness growth and community rights amid growing calls for systemic reform.
