President Ferdinand “BBM” Marcos Jr. has appointed a member of the Confederation of Sugarcane Planters Associations (CONFED) as acting member of the Sugar Regulatory Administration (SRA) board representing the planters.
Aurelio Gerardo Javellana Valderrama Jr., CONFED board member, was appointed in a document signed by the president on August 2.
CONFED president Raymond Montinola said on Friday, August 5, that their group along with the National Federation of Sugarcane Planters, Panay Federation and the Philippine Sugar Millers Association have recommended the retention of Hermenegildo Serafica as SRA administrator.
He said for the Sugar Board they have recommended the appointment of Butch Alisla as millers representative and Valderrama for the planters.
Valderrama said he got a phone call from the Office of the President at noon Thursday and he received his appointment papers Friday morning.
He was invited to a Zoom meeting with the president, Serafica and Executive Secretary Victor Rodriguez on Thursday, Valderrama said.
The president is concurrently acting agriculture secretary.
Valderrama said he was not at liberty to say what was discussed in the Zoom meeting, and is leaving it to Serafica to disclose.
The United Sugar Producers Federation has been calling for the ouster of Serafica.*