By Dominique Gabriel G. Bañaga

The Sugar Alliance of the Philippines (SAP) criticized Coca-Cola for conducting a media tour of their bottling facility in Barangay Mansilingan, yesterday.
According to SAP spokesperson, Atty. Dino Yulo, it was the beverage maker’s way to “claim” they use local sugar.
Based on a release from Coca-Cola earlier this week, Coca-Cola Corporate Affairs and Legal Director, Atty. Juan Lorenzo Tanada, said, “We are committed to making sure that we are able to serve Filipino communities through our extensive use of local and global resources.”
The company noted they use 100 percent local sugar and recalled a University of the Philippines study, which was also cited by the Sugar Regulatory Administration (SRA), that found, with the company’s use of approximately 40 percent of all sugar production in the Philippines, Coca-Cola is a “main purchaser” of local sugar.
Yulo believes the media tour is proof their boycott has made an impact.
He also expressed the group’s doubt in the integrity of negotiations with Coca-Cola.
“All their pronouncements will be doubted and their sincerity will always be questioned,” he explained. “How sure are we that they are being truthful in their claim it’s pure sugar?”
Earlier this month, in response to the “win-win” solution proposed by Department of Agriculture Secretary Emmanuel Piñol, which had beverage makers Coca-Cola and Pepsi Cola purchasing more local sugar, SAP called it “unacceptable.”/WDJ