CONFED welcomes 2 new members

The Confederation of Sugar Producers Association, Inc. (Confed), the largest planters federation in the country, welcomes two new member-planters associations this Crop Year 2022-2023.

The two new associations which affiliated with Confed are Southern Negros-based Planter’s Association of Southern Negros, Inc. (PASON) headed by Chairman Emeritus Franklin G. Fuentebella, Robert Bernard M. Tan as Chairman and Engr. Luis T. Garingalao as President, and Northern Negros-based United Cadiz Sugarcane Planters Association, Inc. (UCSPA) headed by Clarita Lilia “Claire” E. Lacson.

“We warmly welcome the two new members which joined Confed at the start of my term as federation president,” said Confed president Aurelio “Bodie” Valderrama.

“This manifests our openness towards all industry stakeholders, in line with our call for unity among all diverse stakeholders in the sugar industry,” Valderrama added.

Upon assumption as Confed national president last September at the start of the current milling season, Valderrama advocated for unity in the industry, stressing that only the collaborative and focused efforts of all stakeholders can address the decades-long, myriad and recurring problems of the sugar industry.

The largest planters association in the BISCOM Milling District in Southern Negros, PASON is actually a former member of Confed, but the group chose to become an unaffiliated association several years back. On the other hand, UCSPA is one of the oldest associations in Northern Negros.

With Chairman Emeritus Franklin G. Fuentebella, Robert Bernard M. Tan as Chairman and Engr. Luis T. Garingalao as President, the other PASON officers are Dr. Agripino Randy G. Ravina III – Vice-President, Alejo Manuel A. Trabasas – Treasurer, Marco Antonio P. Ibaňez – Secretary, Nonito C. Villaluna – Assistant Secretary, Mary Joyce F. Javellana – Director, Zea Mae T. Sales – Director, and Cesar Dominador Q. Villafranca – Director.

The officers of UCSPA, with Claire Lacson as President, are Alessandro U. Lacson – Secretary, Michael Lindly L. Monfort – Treasurer, Anthony Francis L. Consing – Director, Claire Therese L. Consing – Director, Marissa R. Lacson – Director and Jaime Luis L. Trebol – Director.* (Butch Bacaoco)