By ERWIN ‘AMBO’ DELILAN
THE ongoing “Blaming Olympics” in the sugar industry leads to “bittering” sugar once more.
Refined sugar is now at P98 to P106 / kilo and raw sugar (pula nga kalamay) at P70 to P90 / kilo. This is “more than too much” for ordinary end users.
So, here we’re again for another round of an unwanted sugar crisis, a sort of a revival of what really happened in the early 1980s. Sad to say, no one will ever take responsibility for this “tawdrier scenario”.
In the next two weeks, an expert in the industry told me “the worst is yet to come.” The country, added by this expert, will gonna suffer from very less to no more sugar supply.
This, as based on the stock balance (data withdrawn from mills and refineries), the country’s supply of raw sugar will only last until Aug. 4 this year; while supply of refined sugar is only good until July 30.
Hence, the “blame game” among the industry players is getting intense. Embattled Sugar Regulatory Administration (SRA) chief Hermenegildo Serafica blames those who were behind the court injunctions against Sugar Order (SO) No. 3.
SO No. 3, series of 2021-2022, was intended to import 200,000 metric tons of sugar to fill in the projected gap in the country due to low production after typhoon “Odette” hit the country, especially Negros, in December last year.
‘ILL-TIMED’
But some of the Negros’ planters contested SO No.3 via court injunctions. And they succeeded.
In February, both Executive Judges Reginald Fuentebella and Walter Zorilla of the Regional Trial Court (RTC) branches 73 and 55 in the cities of Sagay and Himamaylan, respectively, issued the writ of preliminary injunctions.
“The gravity of the possible injury cannot be underestimated as the sugar industry, directly and indirectly, impacts the lives of around three million Filipinos,” Fuentebella’s decision read.
“To prevent irreparable damage to sugar farmers who asked for a more permanent injunction,” Zorilla added in a separate decision.
Claimed by Manuel Lamata, president of the United Sugar Producers Federation (UNIFED), the injunction constituted “victory” on their part.
“The (court) decision(s) just affirmed that the industry was right and SRA was wrong,” he told reporters, referring to SO No. 3, which they billed as “ill-timed” as it came out amid the milling season.
Now, that the supply is scarce and the prices are “too high”, Lamata said there’s “hoarding of sugar” by some traders.
Opps!
Who are these sugar traders?
Too, Lamata, on national television, said he’s now okay on sugar importation for as long as the supply will exclusively be meant for the market and not just for industry users.
Then, two weeks ago, there’s this “pakulo” in Negros asking some planters to harvest their juvenile sugarcanes as three sugar centrals are very much willing to reopen and mill (raw sugar) amidst off-milling season.
These sugar mills included the Victorias Milling Company in Victorias City, Universal Robina Corporation in La Carlota City and Binalbagan Isabela Sugar Company (BISCOM) in Binalbagan town. Sadly, no one has bitten the bullet.
STAND-OFF
Then, there’s this loudest call for Serafica to step down early this week.
UNIFED with the Associacion de Agricultores de La Carlota y Pontevedra Inc.(AALCPI) and the La Carlota Mill District Multi-Purpose Cooperative (LCMDMPC) in Negros and Luzon Federation (LuzonFed) called on Serafica to respect President Bongbong Marcos’ Memorandum Order (MO) No.1
Such a maiden presidential memo declared certain positions in the departments, agencies, and bureaus of government vacant effective June 30, 2022.
So, interpreted by sugar planters, Serafica’s term also ended on June 30.
Then, the SRA Board issued an interim appointment for Atty. Ignacio Santillana as the officer-in-charge (OIC) of SRA.
But Serafica, in a counter statement, said he’s not covered by BBM’s first memo, leading to a three-day stand-off at the SRA.
In a press release circulated in Bacolod, LuzonFed President Arnel Toreja dared Serafica to heed and respect the presidential memo.
“Tama na! Better for you to vacate,” Toreja told Serafica, adding, “for the sake of unification, not only of the sugar industry but of our country, please step down.”
STATUS QUO
But before the stand-off enters the fourth day, the Department of Agriculture (DA) through Undersecretary for Operations and Chief of Staff Leocadio Sebastian on Thursday (July 21) issued a Memorandum Circular (MC) No. 1.
Such MC No.1 advised both SRA and the National Food Authority (NFA) employees to maintain the status quo in their respective office.
Sebastian also clarified in a statement that both Serafica and NFA Administrator Judy Carol Dansal shall continue to hold office until their respective successors are appointed.
So, with this DA’s MC No. 1, Serafica’s still the “boss” at SRA.
Questions: What’s next? Will there be solution(s) for the sugar crisis? Or will there be a “chasing game” in the offing as a sequel to the current “Blaming Olympics?”/PN
