The National Congress of Unions in the Sugar Industry of the Philippines (NACUSIP) and the Agrarian Reform Beneficiaries (ARBs) nationwide commended the Sugar Regulatory Administration (SRA) Saturday following what it called a highly productive, industry-wide consultative meeting held in Makati City.
NACUSIP National President Roland de la Cruz, who was at the meeting, in a press statement praised SRA Administrator Pablo Luis Azcona “for his visionary leadership in bringing planters, millers, refiners, and traders together to forge a unified direction for the Crop Year 2026-2027 milling season”.
“We congratulate and thank Administrator Azcona for organizing this thorough and transparent dialogue,” De la Cruz said.
“For too long, the voices of the workers and small beneficiaries have been vulnerable to erratic market shifts. Seeing all major stakeholders sit in one room to democratically arrive at a consensus is a breath of fresh air. It ensures that the policies governing the industry are balanced and protective of those who toil in the fields and mills,” he said.
The meeting, hosted by the Philippine Sugar Millers Association (PSMA), resulted in a historic consensus to recommend a 100 percent “B” sugar classification for domestic consumption, addressing a projected drop in production to 1.66 million metric tons caused by El Niño and RSSI infestations.
NACUSIP-TUCP earlier called for an all “B” Sugar domestic allocation, noting that prioritizing local supply stabilizes domestic prices, safeguards local jobs, and protects the livelihoods of small-scale farmers and ARBs from the volatility of foreign markets during a period of tight supply.
“While the debate on fulfilling the US Sugar Quota brought valid economic points to the table, the collective decision to prioritize our own domestic market is a victory for local food security and local labor,” De la Cruz added.
“When the SRA builds a consensus like this, it gives our sugar workers and ARBs the predictability and stability they desperately need to sustain their families at the start of the milling season,” he said.
The labor federation also welcomed the SRA’s commitment to hold a follow-up assessment next month, urging the administration to maintain this inclusive approach as a regular mechanism for industry governance.*
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