A JOINT memorandum of agreement was signed to establish a High-Yielding Variety (HYV) Nursery and Soils Laboratory in Victorias City, Negros Occidental, on October 7, 2025.
The agreement was entered into by the Sugar Regulatory Administration (SRA), Victorias Milling Company (VMC), the Victorias Mill District Development Council (VMDDC), and the Florencia Workers Association (Flowa) during a ceremony at the Victorias Golf and Country Club.
David Andrew Sanson, SRA Board Member representing planters (on behalf of Administrator Pablo Luis Azcona); Engr. Linley Retirado, president of VMC Inc.; Atty. Eva Rodriguez, VMDDC chairperson and VMC chief administrative officer; Kristine Cabuguason, VMC chief finance officer; Ramon Lavides, president of FLOWA; and Eduardo Deocadez, farm manager of Victorias MDDC, led the signing of the accord.
The newly established HYV Nursery and Soils Laboratory is expected to become a regional hub for sugarcane innovation, facilitating the development of resilient, high-yield varieties and advancing scientific approaches to soil health and farm productivity.
It also aligns with President Ferdinand Marcos Jr.’s vision and the Department of Agriculture’s (DA) initiatives under Secretary Francisco Tiu Laurel Jr. to enhance the competitiveness and sustainability of the Philippine sugar industry.
This milestone represents a collective commitment to the long-term growth and global competitiveness of the Philippine sugarcane industry and reaffirms that sustainable agricultural development is most successful when driven by collaboration across the public and private sectors.
In a statement, Azcona commended the efforts of VMC and VMDDC, emphasizing the importance of bringing research and laboratory services closer to farmers in Northern Negros, a region critical to national sugar production.
Sanson, for his part, described the initiative as the creation of a “mini La Granja,” referring to the SRA’s flagship research center in La Carlota.
He said the move would benefit both farmers and the mill by enhancing productivity and rebuilding the Victorias MDDC’s credibility.
“This is about mutual growth. When farmers succeed, so does the mill,” Sanson said.
He encouraged all stakeholders to make this a model for other sugar districts.
For her part, Rodriguez underscored the strengths each organization brings to the table — the SRA for its research and technical expertise; Victorias Milling Company for its resources, infrastructure, and facilities; and the Victorias Mill District Development Council for its on-the-ground knowledge and commitment to improving planters’ capabilities and knowledge in sugarcane production.
She also highlighted how the collaboration reflects a shared desire to uplift the sugarcane industry.
“Everybody's love and desire toward the improvement of the sugarcane industry — this collaboration is truly amazing,” Rodriguez said.
She said that starting this crop year, the facility will promote the propagation of higher-yielding cane varieties and provide scientific soil analysis, marking a shift toward more evidence-based, efficient farming practices.
Retirado also expressed optimism about restoring the mill’s historical role in supporting planters.
He recalled how VMC used to provide essential support such as fertilizers, lime, technical assistance, and farm management guidance to planters before such services stopped in 1997.
Retirado said he is hopeful that the partnership will revive VMC’s past agricultural and research services and extend them to planters not only in Victorias City but also in nearby districts. He highlighted the importance of cooperation, collaboration, and execution.
He also expressed gratitude to the SRA for its support, emphasizing that cooperation, collaboration, and execution are key to achieving shared goals.
Moreover, Edward Sarrosa, president of the Rural Sugar Planters Association Inc., lauded the “long-awaited initiative.”
His group, in partnership with VMC for 27 years, covers sugarcane farms from Sagay to Vallehermoso.
“Without farmers, there is no industry,” Sarrosa said, thanking the SRA for bringing services from La Granja to Northern Negros.
Also present during the signing were top officials from the SRA’s Research, Development, and Extension (RDE) services, namely: Dr. Ma. Lourdes Almodiente, OIC-deputy administrator for RDE; Helen Lobaton, manager III, RDE-Visayas; Rex Jinon, OIC-chief agriculturist, Extension Services Division-Visayas; Annan Villanueva, mill district officer, SRA-Victorias; and Juan Andres Corro, executive assistant V, Office of the Administrator. (MAP)