NATIONALIST People’s Coalition (NPC) gubernatorial bet Vice Governor Genaro Alvarez Jr. and his runningmate Eugenio Lacson are backing the Sugarcane Industry Development Bill of third district Representative Albee Benitez in anticipation of the implementation of zero tariff on imported sugar under the Asean Free Trade Agreement (AFTA) in 2015.
Both Alvarez and Lacson believe that the local sugar industry will be hard-pressed by the competition from cheaper, subsidized imported sugar so preparations have to be made.
"We commend and support the passage of Benitez's bill in the upcoming Congress," Alvarez stressed.
He also pointed out that it is imperative upon the Provincial Government to formulate preventive and sustainable measures to mitigate the effects of this threat to the sugar industry. Thus, a sugarcane industry agenda was formulated by the Alvarez-Lacson Team.
The public was given a glimpse of the Sugar Agenda when it was presented in an audio-visual presentation at the Barangay Leaders Assembly of Partidong Kusog Talisaynon under the Liberal Party with Benitez last week.
In the sugar agenda, Alvarez and Lacson plan to create a Negros Occidental Sugar Action Force (NOSAF), drawn from the best minds of the industry. This NOSAF will specifically zero in on one agenda: identify the most viable among the alternative products that can be made from sugarcane, aside from sugar.
The NOSAF will also recommend an action plan or road map that the provincial government will pursue in order to transform the sugarcane industry into an agro-industrial market.
Initially, NOSAF can look into the following sugarcane products: fuel and power (biofuel and cogeneration), feeds, organic sweeteners muscovado, brown blocks, sugar sticks etc.), non-traditional culinary uses for sugarcane (sugarcane ubod), and tourism, such as tours to sugarmills and haciendas, as well as bagoneta and train rides.
The NPC standard bearers said they believe that former governor Rafael “Lito” Coscolluela, one of the leading champions of the sugar industry, is the best person to lead or guide the Negros Occidental Sugar Action Force in its proper direction.
Coscolluela is also a former chief of the Sugar Regulatory Administration, the sugar industry’s regulating body presently headed by Gina B. Martin.
“Therefore, it would be a privilege for the Provincial Government, the sugar industry and the people of Negros if he considers our invitation to work together,” Alvarez added.
The Sugar Agenda further plans that the Provincial Government, upon the recommendation of LGUs and the NOSAF, will allocate its budget in the implementation of several infrastructure projects and programs to aid sugarcane planters and sugar mills.
Among these measures are the construction/repair of farm to market roads; construction/repair of irrigation facilities; research and promotion of diversification initiatives for lands not viable for sugarcane (example: tree farming, vegetables); distribution of pre- and post- harvest facilities (hand tractor, thresher, dryer) and farm inputs (fertilizer) and tree farming.
To further encourage plantation of sugarcane, Alvarez and Lacson said the provincial government must also offer assistance to agrarian reform beneficiaries (ARBs), such as educational assistance to their children taking up college education as well as health insurance or medical assistance to their families.
The government must also encourage ARBs to organize themselves through cooperatives in order for government to assist them through distribution of farm equipments and inputs, the duo added.
“From these we shall find, in the fastest possible way, new markets for our sugarcane, prevent a sugar glut and soften the impact when the sugar tariffs go down in 2015,” Alvarez added.