By Dominique Gabriel G. Bañaga

Labor groups in Negros Occidental yesterday declared Department of Agriculture Secretary Emmanuel Piñol “persona non-grata,” or unwelcome, after he revealed a “win-win” solution on the issue of high fructose corn syrup (HFCS).
“Piñol is not aware of the disastrous economic consequences that shall occur if the sugar industry collapses,” they said after passing a resolution against the cabinet secretary, calling his comments on social media “an insult to the dignity of all workers in the sugar industry.”
The agriculture secretary, meanwhile, announced Coca-Cola FEMSA Philippines vowed to purchase more local sugar, but would need six months to upgrade their equipment.
He said the beverage manufacturer will ask President Rodrigo Duterte, through the Sugar Regulatory Administration (SRA), to give the company six months in order to purchase “clarification equipment” in order to process raw sugar into syrup.
“We will be spending a few million dollars more but we are willing to make the sacrifice to show to the president the company is willing to help the sugar industry and Philippine agriculture,” said Coca-Cola Legal and Corporate Director Juan Lorenzo Tañada.
On Monday, around 5,000 protesters showed up at a rally outside the Coca-Cola bottling plant in Barangay Mansilingan, demonstrating against Piñol and the importation of HFCS.
At the end of the program, demonstrators also burned an effigy of the agriculture secretary and Coca-Cola./WDJ