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[av_heading heading=’Pontevedra town bans cola in Handurayo Festival’ tag=’h3′ style=’blockquote modern-quote’ size=” subheading_active=’subheading_below’ subheading_size=’15’ padding=’10’ color=” custom_font=”]
BY MAE SINGUAY
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Friday, April 28, 2017
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Another town joined several Negros Occidental local governments in prohibiting the sale of Coca-Cola products during fiestas and other events.
Pontevedra will ban Coke products during Handurayo Festival, also the town’s annual fiesta, from May 4 to 9.
In Executive Order No. 14 dated April 20, Mayor Jose Benito Alonso said “the unabated entry of high-fructose corn syrup (HFCS) into the Philippines has led to the drop of sugar prices.”
“The importation of HFCS has an adverse effect [on] our local economy, as well as the thousands in the labor sector,” Alonso said.
Pontevedra is “primarily dependent” on the sugar industry, he said.
“Our local government unit is affirming its solidarity with the sugar industry, considering the small farmers and other beneficiaries and their families who will greatly suffer as they are highly dependent on sugar for their livelihood,” said Alonso.
“The sale of Coca Cola is prohibited during the fiesta unless the company uses local sugar instead of HFCS as sweetener,” he said.
Other local government units that banned Coke products were Hinigaran, Isabela and Murcia towns and La Carlota City.
In addition, the Sangguniang Panlalawigan of Negros Occidental approved a resolution supporting the call of Gov. Alfredo Marañon Jr. to ban Coke products during the Panaad sa Negros Festival.
Earlier Coca-Cola said it continues to support the Philippine sugar industry.
Its bottling facility in Bacolod City produces beverages with 100-percent locally sourced sugar, and has maintained this practice since opening the plant in 1998, the company said in a press statement./PN
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