By CESAR JOLITO III
As the country marks the eve of Labor Day, agrarian reform beneficiaries, small farmers and workers in the sugar industry have issued a strongly worded appeal to President Ferdinand Marcos Jr., calling for urgent government intervention amid what they describe as a deepening crisis caused by excessive sugar importation.
In an open letter addressed to Marcos, stakeholders across the sugar sector said the recent import policies approved by the Sugar Regulatory Administration (SRA) have led to a sharp decline in domestic sugar prices, severely affecting their livelihoods.
Framed under the theme “Bound by Labor, United for Justice: Workers and Farmers as One,” their letter underscores growing unrest in the agricultural sector this Labor Day, with calls mounting for reforms that would safeguard both livelihoods and the long-term stability of the country’s sugar industry.
The stakeholders claimed that the influx of imported sugar — amounting to 424,000 metric tons under Sugar Order No. 8 for Crop Year 2024-2025 — flooded the market at the start of the milling season, pushing prices to what they described as “unsustainable levels.”
The group said the price drop comes at a time when production costs, including fertilizers and fuel, continue to rise, leaving farmers struggling to recover even basic expenses.
“We are not just numbers in economic reports — we are families going hungry, children unable to attend school, and communities sinking deeper into debt,” their letter stated.
The signatories also accused the SRA board of failing to protect local producers and criticized the agency’s refusal to disclose meeting records related to the controversial import decision.
They described the move as a betrayal of farmers and workers whose labor sustains the sugar industry.
The appeal includes a call for the resignation of key officials, including SRA Administrator Pablo Luis Azcona, planter representative Dave Andrew Sanson, miller representative Ma. Mitzi Mangwag, and Agriculture Secretary Francisco Tiu-Laurel, Jr.
The group urged the administration to appoint leaders who would prioritize local producers and ensure fair pricing.
They warned that without immediate action, the continued decline of the industry could have far-reaching consequences — not only for producers but also for the broader economy dependent on sugar production./CJ, WDJ