SEVEN groups and organizations from different sectors have called for various interventions and measures amid issues and concerns hounding the country's sugar industry.
The Bukluran ng Manggagawang Pilipino (BMP)-Negros, Damayan ng Manggagawang Bukid sa Asyenda (Damba), Philippine Rural Reconstruction Movement (PRRM), National Congress of Union in the Sugar Industry of the Philippines (Nacusip), Negroswide Alliance of Transport Corporations (Natcorp), Kaugmaon Negros Oriental and Dagyaw ARB, in a joint statement Sunday, August 14, said the issues currently hounding the sugar industry is directly affecting not just the economy but their livelihood as well.
The groups claimed that while some are pushing for their "political interest" to acquire a position at the Sugar Regulatory Administration (SRA) and take advantage of the proposed importation, problems are again "attacking us as one industry and as consumers."
They cited the continued rise in the price of sugar in the market, the increasing cost of farm inputs like fuel and fertilizer, and lack of access to technologies that would address the problem of a dwindling labor force.
The groups also expressed concern on the need to increase the productivity of the small planters, including the agrarian reform beneficiaries (ARBs), and the rampant land conversion and reclassification of agricultural land to commercial and industrial land.
"As part of the industry, we are calling for a balance importation of sugar in order to also balance its prices in the market," they said, adding that the government should consider the balancing of supply and local demand as a means to protect the sugar industry, especially that the milling season is about to start.
It's the SRA's mandate to monitor the movement of imported sugar in the market, and criminalize the cartel being manipulated by unscrupulous sugar traders, the joint statement said.
It added that the prevailing sugar inventory is on a critical level which shows that there's a shortage in production to supply the existing demand, both local and international quota.
Thus, the government should look for ways on how to address the gap so farmers can increase their productivity, the groups said, as they call for an "equal recognition" of the contribution of small planters to that of those with vast farms.
Other measures and interventions they are appealing include mechanization to address labor force woes, boost block farming, strengthen industry cooperatives, and strict implementation of the law on land conversion and reclassification.
They are also pushing for the provision of subsidies to small sugar producers like ARBs through tax holiday or discounts, review of Comprehensive Agrarian Reform Program (Carp) implementation, and non-political and just representation of the planters and farmers at the SRA Board.
Moreover, the groups are also backing the appointment of Aurelio Gerardo Valderrama Jr. as member of the SRA Board representing the planters.
"His appointment (by President Ferdinand Marcos Jr.) shows the unity for the interests of the sugar industry despite the challenges it is facing today," they said, adding that "each of one us in the industry has the role to play in order to make our land productive as well as improve our lives and that of the entire community."
Meanwhile, the Sugar Order to import 300,000 metric tons of imported sugar that was invalidated by the president will save the consumers from the onslaught of excessive prices of table sugar and the sugar industry as a whole from destabilization.
This is what Wennie Sancho, secretary-general of the General Alliance of Workers Association (Gawa), said in a statement as he recalled that there was a massive rally held a few years ago in protest against sugar import liberalization.
Sancho said their group along with the National Congress of Unions in the Sugar Industry of the Philippines (Nacusip), Philippine Agricultural, Commercial and Industrial Workers Union (Paciwu) and other labor groups even declared former Agriculture Secretary Manny Penol as "Persona Non Grata" as manifestation of their opposition against sugar import liberalization including artificial sweeteners like high fructose corn syrup.
"The rallies and protests were successful and congress passed a resolution to stop sugar importation (and) the winners in sugar import liberalization are the sugar traders, industrial users, sugar hoarders and smugglers that constitute the cartel in the industry," he said.
Sancho added that the losers are sugar producers, the marginal sugar farmers, the Agrarian Reform beneficiaries and their families including the consumers if the country will be flooded by imported sugar.
The labor leader said he believes massive dislocation of the sugar workers and their families who depend on the sugar industry will follow.
Labor groups urged law enforcers to go after unscrupulous sugar traders, profiteers, sugar smugglers and corrupt government officials who are behind the sugar importation scheme.