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BY MAE SINGUAY
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Wednesday, March 22, 2017
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BACOLOD City – “Unfortunate” was how Coca-Cola FEMSA Philippines, Inc. described the decision of the provincial government of Negros Occidental to ban their products from the 24th Panaad Festival.
Coca-Cola — now subject to calls for boycott for using high-fructose corn sugar (HFCS) — respects the decision, the beverage company said in an emailed statement.
Gov. Alfredo Marañon Jr. does not want Coca-Cola products sold at the Panaad Park and Stadium during the annual event from April 22 to 30, United Sugar Producers Federation of the Philippines, Inc. president Manuel Lamata told the press.
Lamata also said Marañon told him the provincial government will not allow Coca-Cola to sponsor the event. A capitol source confirmed Lamata’s statements.
“Coca-Cola has been one with Bacolod in celebrating this event for over 20 years by helping enrich the festivities,” read part of the email Rommin Diaz of the company’s corporate affairs unit sent Panay News.
Lamata made the announcement after the protest in front of Coca-Cola’s bottling plant in Barangay Mansilingan on Monday.
Opponents of HFCS called for the boycott of Coca-Cola and other industry players using the alternative sweetener, the importation and use of which, they claimed, is hurting the local sugar industry.
Thirteen cities and 19 towns in Negros Occidental are participating in Panaad, considered the “mother” of all festivals in the province.
“Though we will miss this chance to serve the people of Bacolod, we remain hopeful that our partnership with the provincial government will remain robust,” Coca-Cola further said.
“We duly respect their decision, as we both continue to share the spirit of the Panaad — providing to the people the promise of a good life,” it added./PN
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