President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. has rejected the proposal of the Sugar Regulatory Administration (SRA) to import an additional 300,000 metric tons of sugar, Press Secretary Trixie Cruz-Angeles announced Wednesday, August 10.
The SRA’s call for the importation of sugar was made as the retail price of a kilo of refined sugar breached the P100 mark amid a reported shortage in supply.
“The President rejected the proposal to import an additional 300,000 MT of sugar. He is the chairman of the Sugar Regulatory Board and denied this in no uncertain terms,” the press secretary said.
Sugar Order No. 4 Series of 2021-2022 dated Tuesday, August 9, set the second import program for crop year 2021-2022 that allowed the importation of 300,000 MT of sugar.
It was signed by Agriculture Undersecretary Leocadio Sebastian for the president who is concurrent Department of Agriculture secretary and chairperson of the SRA board.
It was also signed by SRA Administrator Hermenegildo Serafica, and board members Roland Beltran for the millers and Aurelio Gerardo Valderrama Jr. for the planters.
Negros Occidental Vice Governor Jeffrey Ferrer and Manuel Lamata, president of the United Sugar Producers Federation, said the president knows what is best for the sugar industry.
“The president knows what is right for the sugar the industry and the country. Kudos to the president for protecting the sugar industry and the people of the Philippines,” Ferrer said.
“We are shocked that the president stopped the importation, we could only speculate something anomalous happened. It’s a good thing the president is in charge of the DA. Walang maka lusot. More power to you Mr. President,” Lamata said.
Meanwhile, no suggested retail price for sugar has been set yet, Serafica said on Wednesday*