SUGAR farmers in Luzon have joined the fray in putting pressure on the Department of Agriculture (DA) and Sugar Regulatory Administration (SRA) to protect the sugar industry and prevent the planned import liberalization.
Former SRA board member Lito Sandoval is criticizing SRA administrator Hermenegildo Serafica who earlier said his personal stand was for the farmers but will take his “guidance” from Agriculture Secretary William Dar.
Serafica made the statement during the budget hearing on Wednesday, October 9, where both the DA and SRA were grilled by senators Juan Miguel Zubiri and Cynthia Villar.
This is following the appeal from Tatak Kalamay, an umbrella organization of sugar federations, millers, labor, farmers and agrarian reform beneficiaries (ARBs).
Tatak Kalamay earlier sought intervention from Senate allies amid the proposal from the Department of Finance (DOF) that the sugar industry’s liberalization program is in the pipeline following the rice industry.
Sandoval, in a statement, asked what guidance does he (Serafica) need. Isn’t it clear to him yet that any import liberalization program will be disastrous to the industry?
“Is he now telling us that he actually does not know what he is doing,” Sandoval said, adding that “it doesn’t take that much to understand that uncontrolled importation will kill us and destroy the lives of five million Filipinos who depend on the sugar industry.”
As a former member of the sugar body, Sandoval also brought up the positions made by SRA board members Dino Yulo representing the producers and Roland Beltran representing millers who publicly opposed the planned liberalization.
It is quite ironic that Serafica simply brushed it aside as he opted to wait for Dar’s guidance, Sandoval said.
“Is he beholden to somebody or he is not at all fit for the position,” Sandoval said, citing that during the time of former DA Secretary Emmanuel Piñol “when the issue of import liberalization was brought up, Serafica only made his clear opposition to the issue when Piñol publicly stated so.”
The statement further stated that “Wala ba siyang paninindigan? What was so different between then and now that he can’t make up his mind?”
Luzon Federation (Luzonfed) head Arnel Toreja also echoed Sandoval’s sentiments pointing out that thousands of sugar farmers in Luzon are getting “restless” in the face of the “deafening silence.”
Luzonfed is part of Tatak Kalamay.
Toreja, also in a statement, said they have been told that the new DA [chief] has close ties with the economic managers, but we continue to believe that over and above that, his heart remains in protecting the agriculture industry as that is what he is known for, as an agricultural expert.
“It is time for the SRA head to flex his muscles and show us some semblance of leadership. Enough is enough with this dilly-dallying,” he added.
The federation head furthered “if you (Serafica) do not have it in you to protect the very industry that you vowed to serve, then it’s time to hang your hat and give it to someone who can truly lead the sugar industry.”
SunStar Bacolod has yet to reach Serafica for comment.
Though in an interview after the budget hearing, he said the SRA is a balancing act as “what is good for the farmers and consumers is our work.”
For now, the SRA has no clear stand yet as to the proposed sugar import liberalization.
Serafica, though, assured that as long as the SRA exists the importation is regulated and not unabated.
“We do not allow importation if there’s no deficit,” he added.