By Dominique Gabriel G. Bañaga

Negros Occidental Governor Eugenio Jose Lacson said yesterday he hopes that the newly-appointed officials of the Sugar Regulatory Administration (SRA) would address the issues hounding the country’s sugar industry.

Over the weekend, President Ferdinand “Bongbong” Marcos, Jr., appointed Negrense David John Thaddeus Alba as the SRA’s acting administrator, along with Pablo Luis Azcona and Ma. Mitzi Mangwag as SRA board members.

“It has always been our hope that a Negrense will be appointed as SRA administrator,” Lacson said.

Lacson pointed out that the SRA has been reorganized because of the problems in the sugar industry, and he is confident that the newly-appointed officials would be able to tackle the issues hounding the industry.

Meanwhile, responding to the calls by the United Sugar Producers Federation (UNIFED) calling on the government to also check sugar warehouses and mills in the province, Lacson believes there is enough evidence that there are also smuggled sugar or other products being stored in warehouses in the province.

He pointed out, however, that it is a different case, and stated that it is not hoarding, but smuggled sugar.

“We all know that there is smuggling because it affects the industry, especially if there is strong evidence of the presence of smuggled sugar. I think they should be opened up and apprehended if indeed they are smuggled,” he added.

Last week, the Bureau of Customs (BOC) carried out a series of raids in Pampanga and Bulacan.

In Zambales, the BOC seized a total of 7,000 metric tons of sugar at the Subic Port, which was later found to have “recycled import permits.”

UNIFED President Manuel Lamata, however, said the seized sacks of sugar in Luzon are only the “tip of the iceberg.”/DGB, WDJ