Sugar industry leaders unite on key issues

By Dolly Yasa

BACOLOD CITY—The long-standing ties that once harmonized planter-labor relations in the sugar industry have been rekindled, this time by a new generation of leaders.

Aurelio Valderrama Jr., President of CONFED (Confederation of Sugar Planters’ Associations, Inc.), and Roland de la Cruz, President of NACUSIP (National Congress of Unions in the Sugar Industry of the Philippines), recently met and agreed to collaborate on vital issues affecting the sugar industry.

The two leaders initially agreed to focus on revising the Sugar Industry Development Act of 2015 (SIDA) and empowering industry stakeholders by advocating for more consultative policymaking by the government, particularly concerning sugar importation, according to Valderrama. This was outlined in a press statement from CONFED on Sunday.

De la Cruz, a former councilor of Murcia in Negros Occidental and presidential protocol officer under former Presidents Estrada and Arroyo, emphasized that his group now includes not only the formal labor sector but also small planters, particularly agrarian reform beneficiaries’ organizations.

“Any benefits accruing to sugar producers,” de la Cruz said, “will naturally benefit our members, and we wish only to ensure that sugar workers benefit likewise.”

De la Cruz was recently elected national president of an organization that includes 61 multi-industry trade unions with collective bargaining agreements and 17 agrarian reform beneficiaries’ organizations nationwide.

The NACUSIP president pledged to continue the legacy of his father, lawyer, legislator, and labor leader Zoilo V. de la Cruz Jr., who is best remembered for his groundbreaking work to promote the welfare of sugar workers.

His collaboration with sugar industry leaders led to the creation of the Sugar Industry Foundation, Inc. (SIFI), now one of the leading socio-economic development arms of the sugar industry.

The elder de la Cruz, who passed away in December 2014 at the age of 84, was known as the “father of the 13th month pay” and the Social Amelioration Program for sugar workers.

He was also a founding member of the SIFI Board and a member of the 10th Congress. Many of the sugar leaders he worked with, such as Rodolfo Gamboa and Eduardo Ledesma Sr., have also passed on.

However, their collaborative efforts during challenging times allowed the industry to address vital issues effectively for the benefit of all sectors.

Both Valderrama and the younger de la Cruz pledged to work together in solidarity to address common concerns and challenges, in a collaboration anchored on cooperation, goodwill, and trust.

They also expressed their willingness to work with other like-minded groups for the good of the sugar industry.

“We have our work cut out for us,” Valderrama concluded, “and we seek to join hands with those who want to see a vibrant sugarcane industry that takes care of all its dependents, without fear or favor.”

De la Cruz agreed, adding, “We will never tire of doing what is good and fair not only for our sector but for the industry in general.”