After the Philippine Senate earlier adopted a resolution discouraging the executive department from sugar liberalization, or the deregulation of sugar importation, Sugar Regulatory Administration (SRA) board member, Atty. Emilio Yulo III, offered his appreciation for the move.
He hopes the resolution will diminish the fears of those in the sugar industry regarding the proposal to relax regulations on sugar importation.
“The proposed liberalization of the sugar industry, as announced by the economic managers, will not only be suspended for six months to a year but will never happen,” the SRA official declared.
Yulo personally extended his appreciation to Senators Juan Miguel Zubiri and Cynthia Villar.
The only lawmakers not signing on to the policy were Senator Lito Lapid and embattled Senator Leila de Lima.
The resolution calls on the government to “safeguard the welfare of sugar farmers and industry workers.”
“The deregulated entry of subsidized sugar into the Philippine market will be disastrous to our sugar industry,” the document read. “Liberalization or deregulation of the sugar industry will not affect the competitiveness of sugar-containing food products for export.”
The resolution also pointed out, the domestic sugar industry stretches across 20 provinces, including Iloilo, Capiz, Antique, Negros Occidental, and Negros Oriental./DGB, WDJ