Amidst the crisis of the sugar industry, the secretary general of the General Alliance of Workers Association (GAWA) issued a call for urgent action.
Wennie Sancho said in a statement that the sugar industry’s resilience is being put to the test. Despite government’s alleged inefficiencies, the stakeholders are fighting to keep the sugar industry afloat. The question is: can their collective strength overcome the bureaucratic red tape?
The industry’s history is marked by cycles of boom and bust, but the stakeholder’s determination to survive is unwavering. Farmers are innovating, workers are organizing and producers are adapting to changing markets. Yet, the government’s disjointed policies and lack of support are hindering progress, he said.
Sancho said the Sugar Regulatory Administration’s (SRA) inefficiencies are well documented and the threat of sugar import liberalization looms. However, the stakeholders are not waiting for the government to act. They’re pushing for reforms and demanding accountability. This is a call for urgent action.
But can it overcome government’s inefficiencies? He asked. The answer lies in the stakeholders ability to mobilize, unite and demand change. The industry’s resilience is rooted in its people – the farmers who toil the fields, the workers who harvest the crops and the producers who turn sugarcane into gold. Their collective spirit is the industry’s greatest asset.
Sancho is urging producers, workers, millers and marginal farmers to unite, adding that “the sugar industry’s survival depends on our collective action. We’ve face challenges before and we’ve overcome them. Let’s do it again, so that the sugar industry shall emerge stronger, more sustainable and more resilient than ever.”
“Save the sugar industry, Save Negros, Save our livelihood, Save our future. This is the people’s call for urgent action,” his statement added.*
