By ERWIN ‘AMBO’ DELILAN
STRAIGHT to the point: the country is currently witnessing an ala “ant war” amidst a sugar crisis be it genuine or artificial.
In Zoology, ant war is a direct or aggressive interaction between ants of different colonies. They engage in a competition for their sources of food.
But in the present sugar brouhaha, those considered to be the ants are the “warring” planters, traders, among other industry stakeholders. And they’re tussling not for sugar but for power, influence, and vested interest.
Sad to note, but this is the “savage reality” that we, the ordinary-slash-poor sugar consumers, need to swallow. Classic example: amid their bickering, there’s this intractable skyrocketing of sugar prices.
And the more than P100/kilo of refined sugar is quite “too much” for an ordinary “Juan de la Cruz”.
But what’s government’s take on this? Raid on sugar warehouses? I doubt. For publicity’s sake, it could be yes. But for actuality, hope it ain’t a drama meant to divert public attention from the real tumult.
WALK THE TALK
Senate President Migz Zubiri’s privilege speech in the Senate on Tuesday (Aug. 16) sounded powerful. His facts and figures were so undisputable.
But when he mentioned about P600-M kickback and customary tongpats or bribes on sugar importation, many raised their eyebrows. Such pronouncement, per a sugar expert in Negros, doesn’t ring a bell anymore. Rather, it’s just stating the obvious, an expert added.
It is as if Zubiri wants to project himself like a “virgin” in the sugar industry. Hence, netizens “feasted” on nixing him on the social media (socmed).
Adding Zubiri’s “socmed crisis” was his inapt quote of the day: “My dear colleagues, we were not born yesterday. I think most of us know that importation is a lucrative business.”
Thus, throng of netizens asked him: What have you done about kickback and tongpats?
Can’t Zubiri, a crowned champion of the sugar industry, walk the talk?
Well, I would love to see or hear him speaking with sense rather than engage in political grandstanding.
ON THE WINGS OF TRUTH
Well, claiming the spotlight now amid the controversy is Bodie Valderrama.
This two-week appointee of President Bongbong Marcos (BBM) at the Sugar Regulatory Administration (SRA) Board is now the “last man standing” with regards to the controversial Sugar Order No. 4.
The three other signatories for the botched sugar order – Agriculture Undersecretary Leocadio Sebastian, SRA Board Member Roland Beltran and SRA chief Hermenegildo Serafica – already tendered their courtesy resignations.
But Bodie, a Negrense, said he’ll resign if the President says so.
Truth holds him not to resign.
“I will stand by my integrity and the truth,” Bodie’s simple yet meaningful line.
And believing that he’s on the wings of truth, it can be sensed that he’s now ready to weather the “storm” no matter what happens. Armed with faith in God, he underscored that truth matters still.
He said he never asked for his current position, it was only given to him, so he’ll honor such privilege via recommendation by serving the sugar industry with an enormous desire – unite all the stakeholders. Hence, even Negros Occidental’s Gov. Bong Lacson is now siding with him.
WHO’S BELIEVABLE?
Meanwhile, a raid on two sugar warehouses in Bulacan on Aug.18 proved the claims of Zubiri that there’s enough supply of sugar.
Hoarding is just complicating the matter.But such is in contrast with the joint statement of the three beverage companies in the country. Coca-Cola, Pepsi Cola and RC Cola, for the first time, publicly chorused that they’re running out of graded sugar as prime ingredient in producing soft drinks. Hence, industry experts say this rare joint statement of the trio connotes that something’s wrong in the sugar industry.
The Philippine News Agency (PNA) also quoted Socioeconomic Planning Secretary Arsenio Balisacan on Aug. 17 saying that the biggest challenge for the sugar sector is the insufficient volume in the domestic market.
“The cause of the rising sugar prices in the country is the insufficiency of the supply as the economy expands,” Balisacan reiterated.
Thus, NEDA (National Economic Development Authority), he stressed, is now readying proposal to address the sugar mess.
Balisacan’s statement has a weight. Too, he sounds credible.
Also, Press Secretary Trixie Cruz-Angeles, in a Palace briefing, disclosed that BBM already instructed the Department of Agriculture (DA) to draft a proposal on sugar importation of 150,000 metric tons.
So, who’s believable? And what’s the real score about sugar, the supply and prices?
Quite irksome, isn’t it?
On the other hand, another “exciting” if not “disgusting” is who’ll be the next SRA chief.
BBM promised to announce soonest. Will Serafica’s successor be a Negrosanon? Hope not!
I don’t want to see him/her suffer from the “whims and caprices” of some of his/her ever-demanding fellows whose interest is (always) one-sided.
Rather, I would love to see someone from other sugar-producing provinces to lead SRA so that he/she can fully exercise his/her authority sans fear and favor for the sake of the sugar industry and its stakeholders./PN
