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Hontiveros: Gov't should allow more sugar importers to trade to bring down cost of commodity
Philippines
National
Hontiveros: Gov't should allow more sugar importers to trade to bring down cost of commodity
Hontiveros: Gov't should allow more sugar importers to trade to bring down cost of commodity
Published May 18, 2023 05:27 am
Despite President Ferdinand “Bongbong” Marcos Jr.’s order to import an additional 150,000 metric tons (MT) of sugar, the price of this commodity is unlikely to drop to its previous low level unless more sugar importers are allowed to penetrate the market.
Sen. Risa Hontiveros pointed this out following reports Marcos has given the go-signal for an additional importation of 150,000 MT of sugar as recommended by the Sugar Regulatory Administration’s (SRA) to stabilize prices and boost the country’s stock.
“The President seems to solving the wrong problem," Hontiveros said in a statement.
"Hindi kakulangan ng asukal ang problema. Ang problema, ay nakorner ng tatlong traders ang buy and sell ng imported na asukal. Hindi sapat, pero makakatulong kung sa susunod ay, gaya ng dati, mas maraming importers na kukunin ng SRA ( The problem is not about sugar shortage. The problem is that three traders cornered the buying and selling of sugar. It’s not enough, but it would help if the SRA will get more importers),” the senator said.
“Madaming nag aaplay na mag import sa ilalim ng Sugar Order number 6, pati na ang industrial users, pero sinabihan sila na dito sa tatlong importers na lang sila kumuha ng supplies. Kung pagsasamahin ang nakorner na imported at domestic supplies, ay lampas 70 percent na asukal ng bansa ang hawak nitong tatlong paboritong importers (Many applied to import under SO No. 6, including industrial users, but they were told that they could only get supplies from the three importers. If we combine the cornered imported and domestic supplies, these three favorite importers hold more than 70 percent of the country's sugar),” Hontiveros added.
The three favored importers Hontiveros is referring to are the All Asian Countertrade, Sucden Philippines, and Edison Lee Marketing Corp. She earlier filed Senate Resolution No. 497 exposing what she called a “government-sponsored smuggling” and called on the Senate Blue Ribbon Committee to investigate the matter.
The senator’s resolution calls for an in-depth investigation into the alleged illegal shipment of 440,000 metric tons of sugar in the country ahead of the SRA’s release of SO No. 6.
However, the Blue Ribbon panel has postponed its hearing on the issue twice, due to the absence of key government officials who have been invited by the panel to appear in the hearing.
Hontiveros said such apparent monopoly deters competition and also triggers inflation. It also restricts the public’s access to affordable sugar.
She also pointed out that local food and beverage manufacturers that employ thousands of Filipinos, are the most gravely affected by the government’s sugar policy.
She also noted that the sugar imported by these three companies for industrial use are considered “the most expensive in the world.”
Hontiveros added that local food and beverage manufacturers, that employ thousands of Filipinos, are the most gravely affected by the current setup. She stressed that the sugar imported by the three companies for use by industrial users, are the "most expensive in the world."
That is why, she said, she supports industrial users’ call to be able to directly import sugar.
"Yan ang panawagan ng industrial users, na payagan silang mag import ng asukal na sakto lang sa kailangan nila para sa kondensada, biskwit, mga softdrinks at iba pa (That is the call of industrial users, that they be allowed to import sugar in quantities that meet their requirements for products such as condensed milk, biscuits, soft drinks and other products),” she said.
“Itong mga produktong ito ng ating mga food manufacturers ang nagbibigay ng trabaho sa maraming mangagawang Pilipino (The manufacturers of these products employ Filipino workers),” she also pointed out.
But during the hearing of the Senate Committee on Agriculture, chaired by Sen. Cynthia Villar on agricultural smuggling, Hontiveros renewed her call for the passage of Senate Bill No. 2205 which seeks to prosecute government employees and officials who conspire with agricultural smugglers.
“RA (Republic Act) No. 10845 is still in force and can already be used to prosecute individuals and entities that import agricultural commodities without following the legal process,” she said during the hearing.
“Sana po may masampolan naman na tayo (I hope we can finally prosecute somebody). It’s about time,” Hontiveros stressed.
Sen. Risa Hontiveros pointed this out following reports Marcos has given the go-signal for an additional importation of 150,000 MT of sugar as recommended by the Sugar Regulatory Administration’s (SRA) to stabilize prices and boost the country’s stock.
“The President seems to solving the wrong problem," Hontiveros said in a statement.
"Hindi kakulangan ng asukal ang problema. Ang problema, ay nakorner ng tatlong traders ang buy and sell ng imported na asukal. Hindi sapat, pero makakatulong kung sa susunod ay, gaya ng dati, mas maraming importers na kukunin ng SRA ( The problem is not about sugar shortage. The problem is that three traders cornered the buying and selling of sugar. It’s not enough, but it would help if the SRA will get more importers),” the senator said.
“Madaming nag aaplay na mag import sa ilalim ng Sugar Order number 6, pati na ang industrial users, pero sinabihan sila na dito sa tatlong importers na lang sila kumuha ng supplies. Kung pagsasamahin ang nakorner na imported at domestic supplies, ay lampas 70 percent na asukal ng bansa ang hawak nitong tatlong paboritong importers (Many applied to import under SO No. 6, including industrial users, but they were told that they could only get supplies from the three importers. If we combine the cornered imported and domestic supplies, these three favorite importers hold more than 70 percent of the country's sugar),” Hontiveros added.
The three favored importers Hontiveros is referring to are the All Asian Countertrade, Sucden Philippines, and Edison Lee Marketing Corp. She earlier filed Senate Resolution No. 497 exposing what she called a “government-sponsored smuggling” and called on the Senate Blue Ribbon Committee to investigate the matter.
The senator’s resolution calls for an in-depth investigation into the alleged illegal shipment of 440,000 metric tons of sugar in the country ahead of the SRA’s release of SO No. 6.
However, the Blue Ribbon panel has postponed its hearing on the issue twice, due to the absence of key government officials who have been invited by the panel to appear in the hearing.
Hontiveros said such apparent monopoly deters competition and also triggers inflation. It also restricts the public’s access to affordable sugar.
She also pointed out that local food and beverage manufacturers that employ thousands of Filipinos, are the most gravely affected by the government’s sugar policy.
She also noted that the sugar imported by these three companies for industrial use are considered “the most expensive in the world.”
Hontiveros added that local food and beverage manufacturers, that employ thousands of Filipinos, are the most gravely affected by the current setup. She stressed that the sugar imported by the three companies for use by industrial users, are the "most expensive in the world."
That is why, she said, she supports industrial users’ call to be able to directly import sugar.
"Yan ang panawagan ng industrial users, na payagan silang mag import ng asukal na sakto lang sa kailangan nila para sa kondensada, biskwit, mga softdrinks at iba pa (That is the call of industrial users, that they be allowed to import sugar in quantities that meet their requirements for products such as condensed milk, biscuits, soft drinks and other products),” she said.
“Itong mga produktong ito ng ating mga food manufacturers ang nagbibigay ng trabaho sa maraming mangagawang Pilipino (The manufacturers of these products employ Filipino workers),” she also pointed out.
But during the hearing of the Senate Committee on Agriculture, chaired by Sen. Cynthia Villar on agricultural smuggling, Hontiveros renewed her call for the passage of Senate Bill No. 2205 which seeks to prosecute government employees and officials who conspire with agricultural smugglers.
“RA (Republic Act) No. 10845 is still in force and can already be used to prosecute individuals and entities that import agricultural commodities without following the legal process,” she said during the hearing.
“Sana po may masampolan naman na tayo (I hope we can finally prosecute somebody). It’s about time,” Hontiveros stressed.