93 Industry Leaders Nationwide Saying ‘The Sugar Board Must Go Cannot Be Wrong’

“The call by ninety-three (93) leaders from the Sugar Industry for the Sugar Board to be replaced cannot be wrong.” The Sugar Council said in reference to a manifesto signed by ninety-three (93) industry leaders from all over the country, and published in a national newspaper on May 5, 2026.

The ninety-three (93) sugar industry leaders represent stakeholders in various fields – the farmers who produce more than half of the country’s sugar, the laborers in almost all sugar mills, the agrarian reform beneficiaries, and the Non-Government Organizations who attend to the socio-economic plight of people in the farms. Collectively, they represent the vast majority of stakeholders.

“The Sugar Board’s failure to manage sugar supply and demand, particularly due to its import replenishment program without proper consultation with the stakeholders as required by law directly caused the decline in mill gate sugar prices,” the Sugar Council said. This was in response to UNIFED and LuzonFed’s defense of the Sugar Board amid calls for the latter’s replacement.

In response to the statement of UNIFED Chairman Manuel Lamata accusing certain groups of “refusing to engage constructively in stakeholder consultations”, the Sugar Council countered: “Nothing could be further from the truth, since we have consistently been attending stakeholder consultations.”

“In fact, we were in attendance during the July 7, 2025 consultative meeting wherein the importation quota was discussed, only to find out that the consultation was just a mere formality since Sugar Order #8, Series of 2024-2025 was signed on June 28, 2025, or nine (9) days prior to the so-called consultation,” the Sugar Council added.

Contrary to Mr. Lamata’s claim, the members of the Sugar Council have actively engaged in constructive discussion with the SRA in order to find solutions to the concerns of the industry. In fact, as the transcript of the the July 7, 2025 meeting would show, the Sugar Council suggested to import One Hundred Fifty Thousand metric tons (150,000 mt) first, with the balance to be discussed at the start of the next crop year. However, much to the surprise of industry stakeholders, Sugar Order #8 authorized the importation of Four Hundred Twenty-Four Thousand metric tons (424,000mt).

Notwithstanding the negative impact on the sugar industry caused by the high import volume, SRA data showed the volume of imported sugar was ten thousand two hundred six metric tons (10,206mt) more than what the Sugar Order No. 8 authorized!

Lamata also alleged that the Sugar Council has made repeated calls to ban imports. The Sugar Council denounces the false allegation. In its countless letters and position papers to the Sugar Board, the Sugar Council has consistently shown that the group acknowledges the need to import, but that importation must be science-based, calibrated, transparent, and driven by market data.

UNIFED and LuzonFed maintain that the Sugar Board has fulfilled its commitments with gains made that are real and should not be disregarded. This statement is contrary to the reality of the staggering losses suffered by sugar producers.

“Based on SRA’s Supply Demand Report as of April 12, 2026, foregone revenue as a result of mill gate price drop has reached more than Twelve Billion pesos (P12,000,000) nationwide. This translates to an estimated Seven Billion Five Hundred Million pesos (P 7,500,000.00) taken out of circulation from the Negros economy alone. Now, this is the fact that cannot be disregarded,” the Sugar Council said.

“We do not take lightly calling for the Sugar Board’s replacement. However, we have to if we want to restore confidence in the industry,” the Sugar Council statement said. “The fact is,” the Council declares, “the failure of the Sugar Board to manage the sugar industry is indisputable and indefensible. It has failed in all aspects to fulfill its role — from Regulation of Sugar Supply and Prices, to Policy Implementation, Industry Development, Research and Technical Support, to Monitoring and Data Management, as provided for by Executive Order No. 18 and the Sugar Industry Development Act.”

“We reiterate our call for all the eleven (11) points in our manifesto to be seriously considered if not immediately implemented by the national government. We call on our Congressional leaders, both in the House and Senate, to resume hearings to uncover the truth about the over importation of sugar, in aid of legislation, so this crisis will not happen again. Most of all, we appeal to President Ferdinand R. Marcos, Jr., to intervene in the sugar industry’s hour of great need,” the Sugar Council press statement closed.* (PR)