Sen. Hontiveros meets Negros sugar industry stakeholders

The Philippine domestic sugar industry needs “better implementation” (of existing laws) than additional laws to protect it, Senator Risa Hontiveros said.

Hontiveros, who is visiting Bacolod City for a series of consultations with industry stakeholders, said there is a need “for better implementation of existing laws like the Sugar Industry Development Act (SIDA).”

“Is the Sugar Consultative Assembly fully constituted? Should they not be consulted in formulating sugar orders? These are the questions the stakeholders were asking,” the senator said.

She also said she is also looking at amending current laws to strengthen it like the SIDA and the Price Act.

She said that during her consultations with sugar industry stakeholders, the latter were surprised to know the pronouncement of Executive Secretary Lucas Bersamin that “there is no need for a sugar order in the importation of sugar.”

“It’s not enough for them to know whether prices of sugar are competitive this year or not but they want to look at the future. What’s the fair price for the end-user or consumer? What’s the right evolution of prices from production to retail sales that’s fair to all and will make the industry sustainable,” Hontiveros pointed out.

She said that she talked with different stakeholders of the sugar industry “to assess what they feel of the recent Sugar Order No. 7 for the purpose of supporting the industry’s efforts for modernization development.”

Hontiveros also paid a courtesy visit to Governor Eugenio Jose Lacson at the Capitol yesterday, July 18.

She also asked where all the revenues of the Sugar Regulatory Administration are going?

“Where is it being spent? Was any of it spent for the programs that should be funded under the SIDA law? Is it possible to amend the appropriate law to earmark funds for the development of the sugar industry?,” she also said.

Hontiveros said her office will study all the suggestions and recommendations made by the stakeholders.

She said that she will ask Senator Francis Tolentino, chairman of the
Senate Blue Ribbon Committee, for at least two more hearings on the alleged sugar smuggling.

“We want to complete the story of Sugar Order No. 6. We can’t accept the explanation of Sec. Bersamin that we don’t need a sugar order anymore to import sugar. Otherwise it will be open season for importation of agricultural products,” Hontiveros also added.

The need to complete the issue on “profiteering” needs to be exposed, she said, adding that “we want to make sure that all stakeholders will benefit Sugar Order No.7.”* (Eugene Y. Adiong)