SRA Admin calls for unity, one mind at Philsutech nat'l convention

Sugar Regulatory Administrator Pablo Luis "Paul" Azcona urged the sugar industry stakeholders who attended the 69th Philippine Sugar Technologists Association Inc. (Philsutech) Annual National Convention held at Waterfront Hotel and Casino in Lahug, Cebu City on August 23 to rally behind the SRA, stand united, work with one mind to be triumphant in the end.

This annual national convention has been instrumental in allowing the stakeholders of the sugar industry, to put their minds together, with the end view of strengthening and working for the future of our industry.

This year’s convention theme, “Gearing Towards a Competitive Sugarcane Industry to Adapt to the Changing Global Situation” coincides with SRA’s vision for our industry not only to persevere but to thrive amidst the new challenges of the times.

I the past five years, "we have seen production declining due to various reasons, among which is the decrease in sugarcane areas, climate change, steep fertilizers cost and other farm inputs. However, it has not dampened our resolve to continue tilling our sugarland and stand resolute amidst the many challenges we’ve encountered.”

SRA has been doubling their efforts in efficiently utilizing the Sugar Industry Development Act (SIDA) budget for this year and we hope to achieve our utilization target of at least 90% before the end of 2023.

SRA is also poised to pass a supplemental budget to utilize incomes and revenues and give these back to our stakeholders in the form of assistance, benefits and projects that are geared towards improving our facilities, services and productivity.

We are on track in implementing our farm-to-market roads. We have organized over 250 block farms covering more than 10,000 hectares and we facilitated the release of more than P250 million worth of start-up capitalization, a number of which were handed personally by Senator Imee Marcos to our farmers’ groups last month.

Moreover, he was happy to announce that the 80 units of tractors, 48 units flail mowers, 48 units of mechanical planters and 5 units of power harrow from the Japan Non-Project Grant Aide amounting to around JPY800 million have started to arrive and they will be distributed to our beneficiaries soon to ramp up and boost our mechanization efforts of the industry.

This year, SRA has asked all mills to revert back to the old schedule of the reopening of the mills which is September 1 in an effort to improve purity, tonnage and extraction. “Though there were initial resistance from some, I am very much thankful that everyone is cooperating, seeing that it is for the good of the industry,” he said.

On Liberalization

He said, "we cannot turn a blind eye to the issue of liberalization and I would like to take this opportunity to thank our legislators from both houses who have taken a strong stand against it.

“I am also asking Congress and the Senate to bring back the SIDA fund to P2 billion as mandated by law, and let me assure you that with the momentum we gained this year, that budget will be fully utilized to enhance our productivity and make this industry globally competitive."

“We have strong allies in both Houses of Congress and we have one of our champions here, Senator Marcos whom we can certainly count on with our appeal to bring back the full SIDA budget allocation. I was recently informed that the Lower House will schedule a SIDA public hearing soon in Negros Island.

“I am asking all industry stakeholders to unite and let our voices be heard in that hearing so we can gain traction in implementing our master plan,” he added. *