The Philippine Sugar Technologists Association (PHILSUTECH) set the schedule for the mid-year technical training for members and other industry stakeholders.
Slated for February 2026 is the most popular Philsutech mid-year activity, the “Educational Farm Tour and Technology Transfer,” which features presentations by various resource speakers of latest sugarcane farm practices and a site visit to a sugarcane farm which has demonstrated innovative practices which lead to increased productivity.
Also in February is the “Applied Technology on Bioenergy and Management” or the ATBEM course, which is scheduled on February 5 and 6, 2026.
For March, Philsutech will conduct the “Applied Technology on Sugar Process” or the ATSP course on March 2 to 5, 2026, and the “Applied Technology on Energy Utilization” or the ATEMU course on March 16 to 20, 2026.
The final schedule for the educational farm tour and the Management Training Course, as well as details of the other mid-year technical training, will be announced soon.
Meanwhile, Philsutech has a new set of officers for Fiscal Year 2025-2026.
Immediate Past President Ulysis Alfarez, superintendent and safety officer of Crystal Sugar Company, is the new chairman of the board.
Engr. Rogelio Callueng Jr., operations director of the URC-Sugar and Renewables Group, is the Philsutech president.
The five vice-presidents, representing the five technical divisions, who will serve for one year, are VP and Director for Agriculture and Farm Engineering – Emmanuel Cadungog (resident manager and assistant to the president of HIDECO Sugar Milling Company); VP and Director for Bioenergy and Environmental Management – Engr. Camilie Castaňeda (quality assurance manager of URC – La Carlota Distillery);
VP and Director for Engineering – Engr. Raymond Gatoc (instrumentation and automation group manager of URC-SURE Distillery); VP and Director for Management – Engr. Ramonito Lastima (administrative manager of First Farmers Holding Corporation); and VP and Director for Process – Engr. Allan Maravilla (quality and assurance control manager of Victorias Milling Company).
The other directors of the Philsutech board who will serve for two years are Agriculture and Farm Engineering Division – Juan Jose Marie Araneta (operation manager of Central Azucarera de Tarlac and Central Luzon Cane Growers); Bioenergy and Environmental Management Division – Karl Adams Go (assistant vice-president / administrative manager of Progreen Agricultural Corporation);
Engineering Division – Engr. Hanzel Malayo (mill department head of Victorias Milling Company); Process Division – Angelito Burgas (process manager of URC-SURE – URSUMCO); and Management Division – Vice-Chairperson Mary Ann Cangque (personnel manager of Sagay Central) who will serve for one year.
Haydee Villanueva-Rivera and Roberto Lau (Victorias Milling Company) remain as Philsutech corporate secretary and treasurer, respectively.*
