AN OFFICIAL of the Sugar Regulatory Administration (SRA) is urging the Department of Labor and Employment (DOLE) to immediately release the production share of sugar workers that fall under the Binalbagan Isabela Sugar Company (Biscom) milling district amounting to at least P200 million.

SRA Board Member Emilio Yulo III, in a statement, said the next milling season is about to start but workers have not received their shares yet from the last milling season.

Republic Act No. 809, or the Act to Regulate the Relations among Persons Engaged in the Sugar Industry, provides a three-percent direct share to farm laborers from the total production in the milling district.

Yulo said that based on yearly produce, the amount is estimated at P200 million or more.

Yulo said that this is usually given June or July to provide the workers with funds in time for school opening, adding that now that the school opening has been delayed to August, it does not mean that the DOLE will release the funds later than usual.

With the crisis brought about by the coronavirus disease-2019 (Covid-19) pandemic, the SRA official stressed that the funds will help alleviate the plight of the workers.

It will also spur economic activity in southern Negros, particularly, in the City of Himamaylan and the towns of Binalbagan, Moises Padilla, Isabela and Hinigaran, Yulo said.

Yulo claimed that last year, the labor agency also delayed the release of the labor’s share and hoped they have it ready this time since classes will start soon.

He said they are now in the process of drafting the guidelines for sugar migrant workers that will be coming in Negros Occidental starting next month.

On Tuesday, Yulo met with representatives of the Inter-Agency Task Force from the provinces of Negros Occidental and Negros Oriental at the border of Mabinay.

During the meeting, they discussed the health protocols and requirements needed in bringing in migrant workers from the oriental side when milling season starts in September.

“We will submit the guidelines for the approval of the two governors early next week and disseminate the same to all planters’ associations and local government units where these migrant workers will be situated,” Yulo said.

Most farmworkers in Negros Oriental helped out in the early part of the milling season here as their season usually starts by December, he added.

Present in that meeting were Sixth District Board Member Jeffrey Tubola, Zephard Caelian and Ian de la Cruz of the Provincial Disaster Management Program Division of Negros Occidental, Bimbo Miraflor and Myla Mae Abellana, public information officer and tourism officer of Negros Oriental, respectively, among others.