SENATE deputy minority leader Risa Hontiveros yesterday asked government to confiscate sugar stocks imported by its three “favored” importers if it is serious in ensuring an ample supply of affordable sugar in the country.
Hontiveros made the call days after President Marcos approved the sale of seized smuggled sugar in “Kadiwa” centers at P70 per kilo, on the recommendation of the Sugar Regulatory Administration (SRA).
Malacañang on Tuesday defended Marcos’ decision to allow the sale of smuggled sugar in the Kadiwa markets, saying that it could not be given out for free lest it negatively affect sugar farmers and sellers in the country. It also said the P70 sale price is equivalent to actual mill gate price.
The SRA has said 12,000 metric tons MT of smuggled sugar, composed of 8,000 tons confiscated in Batangas and 4,000 tons seized in Subic, will be sold in Kadiwa centers at P70 per kilo.
Hontiveros said the government seemed to have gotten so “excited” about the 12,000 tons of smuggled refined sugar which was donated to the Department of Agriculture.
She said the smuggled refined sugar confiscated is not enough to meet the demand for sugar of the country, which she is said is around 2.2 million metric tons.
She said that if the sugar sold at Kadiwa centers will be for the consumption of the poorest 30 percent of Filipinos, 300,000 metric tons of sugar would be needed so the move to sell at Kadiwa centers will not be seen as a mere “publicity” stunt.
To satisfy the demand for sugar, Hontiveros said, all the government has to do is confiscate the 400,000 MT shipped into the country last month by All Asian Counter Trade, SUCDEN Philippines, and Edison Lee Marketing without a sugar order. And if the confiscated sugar will be sold, the price should be only around P61 per kilo, she said.
Hontiveros said the three “favored” companies should also be “blacklisted” so they can clean up their mess instead of the government doing it for them.
Hontiveros on Tuesday said Agriculture Senior Undersecretary Domingo Panganiban protected the interests of the three “favored” sugar importers after he turned down the request of an industrial company to import sugar for its own use.
Hontiveros earlier revealed that the three sugar importers have been allowed by the DA to import 440,000 MT of sugar before a sugar order was issued by the SRA.
