STAKEHOLDERS of the country’s sugar industry lauded the Philippine Chamber of Commerce and Industry (PCCI) for “seeing the need to protect one’s own agricultural industry.”
The Tatak Kalamay, a multi-sector group based in Negros Occidental that is composed of sugar industry stakeholders, welcomed the chamber’s resolution supporting the sugar industry.
On Thursday, October 17, 2019, the PCCI passed and presented to President Rodrigo Duterte the said resolution during the closing ceremony of the 45th Philippine Business Conference and Expo at The Manila Hotel in Manila.
The approved resolution, which was a joint resolution of MBCCI and Negros Oriental Chamber of Commerce and Industry (Nocci), urged the Department of Agriculture (DA), Sugar Regulatory Administration (SRA), Department of Trade and Industry (DTI), and National Economic and Development Authority (Neda) to rationalize the importation of sugar on the basis of careful analysis of projected production versus domestic demand, and in consultation with industry stakeholders.
Also, it urged the SRA to take the leadership role in ensuring the development of the sugarcane industry and optimizing the utilization of the annual P2 billion provided under the Sugar Industry Development Act (Sida).
This is the only resolution pertaining to the agricultural sector that was passed by the PCCI during its annual conference. Others were on energy and tourism, among
other sectors.
Tatak Kalamay, in a statement Friday, October 18, 2019, said they were grateful for the snowballing support from all sectors, the most recent of which is the business community, through the PCCI.
“We hope that this will be a start of a fruitful relationship between the sugar industry and industry users including those in the food processing industries,” the group said.
Metro Bacolod Chamber of Commerce and Industry chief executive officer Frank Carbon earlier told SunStar Bacolod that it is now the collective stand of the entire PCCI to support the industry.
Carbon said the “tone” of the resolution is not for liberalization or “fully opening up” but only rationalizing the imports. Rationalization means giving consideration to food processors while also protecting the sugar industry.
“It will be a happy compromise to everybody,” he said, adding that the resolution is a big thing amid the pressing concerns hounding the sugar industry.