Governor Eugenio Jose Lacson urged the sugar industry to continue to be vigilant against the move towards sugar liberalization, or the deregulation of sugar importation. The governor noted yesterday, despite the Senate passing a resolution blocking the proposal, he said it is only temporary as the grace period will last between seven months to one year.
Lacson added, an insider within the sugar industry gave him the information.
“That’s why we have to continue doing moves to stop the sugar liberalization,” he urged.
Lacson also noted, President Rodrigo Duterte’s move to suspend the entry of imported rice despite the Rice Tariffication Law could be one step to “enlighten” economic managers on the impact of liberalized importation on local farmers.
The Senate earlier adopted a near-unanimous resolution discouraging the executive department from sugar liberalization. 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 streteches across 20 provinces, including Iloilo, Capiz, Antique, Negros Occidental, and Negros Oriental./DGB, WDJ