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SAVE-SIM convenors sign resolution against sugar importation

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• CHRYSEE G. SAMILLANO

The convenors of SAVE-SIM led by lead convenor Wennie Sancho (5th from left)*

The convenors of Save the Sugar Industry Movement (SAVE-SIM) will be signing an omnibus resolution to be submitted to President Ferdinand Marcos, Jr., with an urgent plea to stop and hold in abeyance the implementation of the importation of 450,000 metric tons of refined sugar.

The omnibus resolution signed by Wennie Sancho, General Alliance of Workers Association and lead convenor of SAVE-SIM, and Jun Dela Cruz, national director for Organizing National Congress of Union in the Sugar Industry of the Philippines, said the importation of 450,000 MT involves a wise and prudent decision, and they would like to know the actual and projected production and consumption figures for this year.

It is necessary that the accountable officials of the Sugar Regulatory Administration (SRA) should state categorically what is the actual shortage, as well as the average monthly sugar consumption of household, industrial and institutional consumers, the convenors of SAVE-SIM said in the resolution.

“We support the importation of a more conservative volume of sugar which is lesser than 450,000 MT and that the importation should be only for a specific volume needed for the buffer stock and should be released in a “calibrated and timely manner” considering the welfare of the local farmers and producers, and their laborers,” they said.

We demand an explanation from the officials of SRA as to why they had vehemently opposed the 200,000 MT of imported sugar in Sugar Order No. 3 and the 300,000 MT in Sugar Order No. 4 and how SRA had considered the importation of 450,000 MT of refine sugar as acceptable? They asked.

SRA, which is composed of government accountable officers, should provide us with figures on the actual shortage, actual projection as to the volume of sugar needed for our buffer stock. The SRA owes us an explanation as to why there was a sudden turnaround in their position on the importation of sugar, the convenors said.

In a press conference on January 27 attended by labor leaders of seven labor federations and associations under the umbrella of SAVE-SIM, they had vehemently manifested their vehement opposition on the plan of government to import 450,000 MT of sugar this year, they said.

They have explained in their position paper, the rationale of their apprehension that the unrestricted entry of subsidized sugar would be disastrous to the sugar industry with overwhelming amount of imported sugar, the group said.

The supporters of the 450,000 MT importation plan came to announce the blessings, but did not dare point out the danger from afar, the anticipated economic injury, untold irreparable damage which would be an added form of injustice to the sugar farmers, workers, small producers and mill workers in the sugar industry, they said.

The importation of 450,000 MT of refine sugar will condemn to economic bankruptcy the sugar industry’s 84,000 planters and the employment and livelihood loss of its 720,000 agricultural workers; 26,000 mill workers and some 3 million downstream dependents. They are the people who stand to lose the most in the industry, if imported sugar will flood the country.*

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