SP asks Duterte to stop sugar import liberalization

By: Dolly Yasa

BACOLOD City – The Sanggunian Panlalawigan of Negros Occidental on Tuesday unanimously approved a resolution asking President Rodrigo Roa Duterte to stop the planned sugar import liberalization.

Vice governor Jeffrey Ferrer told reporters after their regular session that they share the sentiments of the sugar industry leaders that the import liberalization of the national government’s economic managers will spell the collapse of the sugar industry.

“We are appealing to the President not to push through with it,” Ferrer said.

The resolution sponsored by 3rd district Board Member Andrew Montelibano is the latest to air support to the move of Tatak Kalamay, an umbrella organization of stakeholders in the sugar industry.

Ferrer said hundreds of thousands of Negrenses are dependent on the sugar industry.

“We hope the President will heed our appeal, he said adding that sugar import liberalization will result to thousands of sugar farmers being displaced,” Tatak Kalamay said in a statement.

“The sugar industry is under siege again and we in Tatak Kalamay condemn in the strongest  terms what we perceive as a sell-off of the Philippine agriculture in general.”

The SAVE-Sugar Industry Movement (SAVE-SIM) also came out with a statement opposing the sugar import liberalization.