THE 5,000-strong Panay Federation of Sugarcane Farmers Inc. Member-planters (Panayfed) have welcomed the appointment of Negrense Aurelio Gerardo Valderrama Jr. as member of the Sugar Regulatory Administration (SRA) Board representing the planters by President Ferdinand "Bongbong" Marcos Jr.

Danilo Abelita, chairman of the Board and president of Panayfed, said his group believes that the naming of Valderrama to the post is timely and apt considering that he has been a long time industry leader, having served both private and public organizations within the sugar industry under various capacities.

"He [Valderrama] has been and still is an advocate in the protection and advancement of small sugarcane farmers including the rights and welfare of agrarian reform beneficiaries (ARBs)," Abelita said in a statement.

Valderrama is currently the president of the Vicmico Planters Association Inc.

He is a member of the Board of Trustees of the Confederation of Sugar Producers Association Inc. (Confed) since 2010 up to the present.

Also, he served as chairman of the Confed Board from 2012 to 2014. He was once chairman of the Philippine Sugar Research Institute (Philsurin) from 2012 to 2013.

"Panayfed looks forward to working closely and cooperating with Mr. Valderrama and the SRA for the improvement of the sugar industry in light of the current global economic and political landscape," Abelita added. (PR)