• Political and Community Support
• Accountability
• Acknowledgement page

MINUYONGAN RUBBER PLANTATION:

One of the most exciting developments has been the opportunity to establish a rubber plantation in the Minuyongan area. With the joint support of local community and government leaders, Noble Endeavours Foundation has acquired a 60-hectare property suitable for rubber cultivation. More than 35,000 rubber tree seedlings were prepared for planting. By June 2009, 15 hectares or 9,000 seedlings have been planted and are progressing very well.

The Minuyongan rubber plantation continues to provide employment (and therefore income) for many local tribal villagers.
Over time the land has been deforested and with our planting program not only are we planting rubber, but also introducing native timbers back into the landscape .

This region of central Mindanao is recognised as some of the best rubber growing land in the world, and it is now an initiative of the Philippine Government to develop this region as a major supplier of raw rubber.

The world's rubber needs are met through both natural and synthetic sources, each supplying nearly equal amounts. Synthetic rubber requires petro chemicals as a feed stock for its manufacture using approximately 3.5 times more oil than what is required for a natural rubber tree plantation.

A dramatic price increase in synthetic rubber over the last few years has fuelled an increased demand for natural rubber. Global economic growth and demand from the tyre industry is the key factor.

"A surge in the natural rubber price is inevitable with the widening of the demand and supply gap in the coming few years." says Arup Chandra, head of research and development at Apollo Tyres, one of India's main tyre makers.

Because of these factors a business opportunity exists that will benefit the local community by providing employment and profits being channelled back into community aid projects across the region.

Pictured below are rubber seedlings being planted and a rubber processing plant conveniently situated to the Noble Endeavours rubber plantation. This plant is the most modern in South East Asia and represents the faith that the Mindanao business community has in the economic development of this region. The infrastructure is already in place, the support of the community, government and business leaders is very evident, the seedlings are in the ground and we look forward to the day when rubber processing begins and the raw rubber is loaded onto the trucks and sold in the international market place.