SAYING that it is necessary to manage the industry, Negros Occidental Governor Eugenio Jose Lacson said yesterday, September 27, that he is not in favor of abolishing the Sugar Regulatory Administration (SRA).

Lacson was reacting to House Bill No. 5081 of Manila 6th District Representative Bienvenido Abante Jr. seeking the dissolution of the agency and delegating its powers and functions to its supervising agency, the Department of Agriculture (DA).

Abante claimed that "the incompetence and corruption that is prevalent in the SRA" add to the problems already faced by the sugar industry.

He stressed that the SRA, in enforcing various restrictions on the domestic sugar industry, has not helped in achieving higher local production.

As a result, Abante said domestic output is already falling short of requirement.

Lacson said that the SRA is the body that knows the sugar industry well and in fact, if its only properly managed it could help a lot [in the industry’s improvement].

"If we abolish it, they might just come up with a new one and with a new name, what for?" he asked.

Instead of abolishing it, the governor urged everyone to give their full support to the members of the SRA Board.