The incumbent officers of the Confederation of Sugarcane Producers Association Inc. (CONFED) were unanimously re-elected to another term during their annual membership meeting in Manila on Wednesday, September 18.
Re-elected to their posts are Aurelio Gerardo J. Valderrama Jr. of The Sugar Association (TSA) as president, Wilfredo Y. Sawit of Central Azucarera de Tarlac Planters Association (CATPA) – vice president for Luzon, Alfonso F. Gamboa of Associated Planters of Silay-Saravia (APSSI) – vice president for Visayas;
Pablo M. Lorenzo III of Associated Bukidnon Sugarcane Farmers (ABSSFI) – vice president for Mindanao, Maria Regina B. Martin of Asociacion de Hacenderos de Silay y Saravia (AHSSI) – Board Secretary, and Nicolas P. Ledesma, Jr of First Farmers Association – Treasurer.
Also at the annual gathering, and in anticipation of CONFED’s upcoming 40th founding anniversary, two former CONFED presidents were bestowed the Homobono C. Sawit Presidential Award of Leadership.
The awardees are Bernardo C. Trebol and Jose Maria B. Montinola. The awarding ceremony was witnessed by members of their families.
Both awardees were cited as champions of the rights and dignity of sugarcane producers, celebrating their unwavering commitment to the welfare of the Philippine sugar industry in general, and the objectives of CONFED in particular.
Tina Montinola Monfort, daughter of Jose Maria Montinola, in her social media account, recognized CONFED’s shared vision of the sugar industry, marked by “a deep sense of fairness, concern for others, and values that resonate deeply, closest to our hearts and home”.
The late Homobono C. Sawit, after whom the award is named, was CONFED’s charter president when the federation was created on Feb.15, 1985.*