Senator Joseph Victor Ejercito filed Senate Resolution No. 369 on Wednesday, April 15, calling for an urgent inquiry into the alleged over-importation of sugar and its detrimental impact on the Philippine agricultural sector.
The resolution asks the Committee on Agriculture, Food, and Agrarian Reform to investigate the Sugar Regulatory Administration’s (SRA) management of import timings, which stakeholders claim has led to a massive domestic oversupply.
The resolution said raw sugar stocks as of March 2026 have climbed to 668,405 metric tons—a significant jump of nearly 100,000 metric tons compared to the previous year—while refined sugar stocks have surged by 38.77 percent.
The financial fallout for the local industry has been severe, with the resolution reporting an estimated ₱12.8 billion in foregone revenue for sugar and molasses just 25 weeks into the 2025–2026 crop year.
Ejercito highlighted that this glut in the market has depressed farmgate prices, directly hurting the livelihoods of millions of Filipinos and leaving small-scale farmers vulnerable to market volatility.
The inquiry in aid of legislation aims to overhaul existing importation policies to ensure they are based on transparent data and prioritize the long-term sustainability of local producers over excessive foreign supply, he said. He said he filed the resolution following meetings with leaders of sugar groups during his visit of Negros Occidental on Tuesday.*
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