LABOR leaders in the country has issued a manifesto also calling for the resignation of Sugar Regulatory Administration (SRA) Administrator Hermenegildo Serafica “for failing to stand up” for the sugar industry amid the threat of import liberalization.
For them, the SRA chief also failed to fully and effectively implement the Sugar Industry Development Act (Sida).
The said manifesto was signed by leaders of the National Congress of Unions in the Sugar Industry of the Philippines (Nacusip), the largest organized labor federation in the sugar industry.
The group is also one of the oldest and active industry unions in the country.
The manifesto stated that Serafica in numerous instances refused to make a stand against the administration's plan to liberalize sugar importation.
The proposal will have a disastrous effect on the sugar industry to the disadvantage of hundreds of thousands of sugar mill and field workers as well as millions of Filipino families who are dependent to sugar industry, it added.
For Nacusip and its allied organizations, such refusal of Serafica sends out niggling signals to the workers of the sugar industry.
"Worst, he (Serafica) seems to act as a parrot for the government's economic managers who are considered pro-sugar import liberalization," they said, adding that "his act of omission against sugar import liberalization is a clear act inimical to the sugar industry and its workers."
Nacusip further claimed that the SRA top official failed to effectively implement the Sida, a law mandated to improve the competitiveness of the sugar producers and extend support services to the marginal sugar farmers and agrarian reform beneficiaries (ARBs).
"His inefficiency in the implementation of the program and underspending of the funds caused serious damaging effects to the supposed beneficiaries of the program," it added.
Sugar industry stakeholders have been urging the SRA as well as the Department of Agriculture (DA) to make a clear stand on the issue of sugar import liberalization.
In fact, Senator Juan Miguel Zubiri earlier appealed to these agencies to break their "deafening silence" and come out strongly for the sugar industry.
For his part, Serafica told Zubiri that they would look into the issue -- the pros and cons of liberalization -- and come up with a position.
“Personally, I would like to protect the farmers,” he added.
As this developed, the call for his resignation has gained support from various groups including some members of Tatak Kalamay, a national movement composed of multi-sectoral groups in the sugar industry.
Meanwhile, congressmen in Negros Occidental together with other members of the Visayan Bloc and Visayas Development Committee are set to call for an inquiry on the issue of sugar import liberalization once the Congress’ session resumes on November 4.
Aside from the “stand” of the SRA and DA, the inquiry will also tackle other issues in the sugar industry like the underutilization of Sida fund.