NEGROS Occidental Governor Alfredo Marañon Jr. said on Tuesday, January 22, that the plan to deregulate government restrictions on imported sugar will be the death of the sugar industry.

“Several adverse reactions came out when they heard the announcement,” the governor pointed out.

That's why Marañon is urging the people of Negros as well as those from other sugar producing provinces to lobby for the sugar industry.

Budget Secretary Benjamin Diokno said on January 16 that the government is eyeing the deregulation, if not relaxation, of government restrictions, on sugar imports this year.

Diokno said that sugar is next on their list of agricultural products that they will be deregulating after rice.

The budget chief explained that removing restrictions on sugar imports would “put pressure on the domestic economy to compete with the rest of the world.”

“Sugar in the Philippines is very expensive compared to global prices. We plan to deregulate or relax that industry,” he said.

Marañon said that Diokno who is sitting on an air-conditioned office can easily issue such statement but it's a very sad statement to the poorest of the poor.

The governor said the sugar industry should plan out their moves and coordinate their strategy on what to do.

“They should think of the survival of the agriculture sector,” he added.