HONTIVEROS ON SELLING SEIZED SUGAR: "BAKIT HINDI NA LANG IPAMIGAY?"

Senator Risa Hontiveros on Friday said that instead of selling seized sugar in Kadiwa stores, it is more favorable to turn it over to the Department of Social Welfare and Development for the benefit of the less fortunate and victims of calamities.

"Kaysa mabulok o ibenta para pagkakitaan pa, bakit hindi na lang ibigay ng libre sa mga kababayan nating nangangailangan at biktima ng kalamidad? Maraming nagugutom ngayon at kinakapos dahil sa mataas na presyo ng bilihin," Hontiveros said.

The Sugar Regulatory Administration (SRA) recently announced that it has revised existing regulations to authorize the sale of at least 4,000 metric tons of smuggled refined sugar in Kadiwa stores around the country. The said sugar stocks, which were earlier confiscated in joint BoC and DA operations, will be sold to consumers at P70 per kilo.

"Bakit pagkakakitaan pa ang galing sa iligal? Sa komputasyon ng aking opisina, dapat P65 lang ang presyo ng asukal na imported galing Thailand. HIndi ba ang goal ay maging abot-kaya ang presyo para sa lahat ng PIlipino? Pero bakit mataas pa rin ang presyo kung ibebenta?," she said.

Instead of relying on smuggled sugar to supply Kadiwa stores, Hontiveros said that the Sugar Regulatory Administration needs only to expand the list of traders and industries authorized to procure their own sugar supplies.

She furthered that the right to import sugar should not be limited to three "favored" suppliers: All Asian Countertrade Inc, Edison Lee Marketing Corporation, and Sucden Philippines. There should also be an expanded list of traders and industries that will be allowed to import the 450,000 metric tons that the SRA wants to bring into the country. As in previous years, these will then compete to offer the lowest price to the market, in contrast to the prospect of high cartel-dictated prices.

"Hindi kailangang umasa ng Kadiwa stores sa mga puslit na asukal para mura ang benta nito. Kailangang sugpuin ang pribadong kartel sa asukal na nagpapataas ng presyo, dahil na rin sa kagagawan ng gubyerno." Hontiveros stated.

She likewise said that the DA and SRA could also expand their cooperation with stakeholders in the local sugar industry, so that production yields can be increased even during the ongoing milling season for sugar - in line with proposals by groups like the Samahang Industriya ng Agrikultura (SINAG).

"Hindi pagkunsinti sa smuggling ang sagot sa ating problema sa mataas na presyo ng asukal. Huwag tayong magpadala sa palusot ng mga nais manamantala sa problema sa hapag-kainan ng taumbayan," Hontiveros concluded.