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BY RANIE AZUE
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Sunday, October 1, 2017
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BACOLOD City – Members of the National Federation of Sugarcane Workers (NFSW) wanted local officials of the National Irrigation Administration (NIA) in Negros Occidental punished.
The NFSW relayed this message to Agriculture secretary Emmanuel Piñol.
NFSW spokesperson Christian Tuayon said Piñol was “shocked” when they reported that NIA officials in the province charge farmers when the latter avail themselves of the irrigation system services.
NFSW also told Piñol that the NIA closes its irrigation services “when it is needed most.”
The agriculture secretary said he will address the issue immediately.
Piñol said irrigation services for farmers must be “absolutely free.”
Moreover, the NFSW passed to Piñol their position paper regarding the problems that the sugar industry faces, especially those affecting the workers.
Tuayon also said they want the Sugar Regulatory Administration to allocate the funds provided by the Sugar Industry Development Act to sugarcane workers and small-time planters, which are mostly composed of agrarian reform beneficiaries./PN
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