Malacañang confirms 150,000MT sugar import proposal

• Malacañang has confirmed a proposal to import 150,000 metric tons (MT) of sugar amid shortage issues

• The proposed quantity was made during a meeting on August 17 between President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. and industry players

• Senate president Juan Miguel Zubiri said the consensus during the meeting was to import only 150,000 MT, which he said was determined using available data on the remaining demand

• The proposed volume is only half of the 300,000 MT set out in the Sugar Regulatory Board’s Sugar Order No. 4 earlier rejected by Marcos

Malacañang has confirmed a 150,000 metric tons (MT) sugar import proposal amid a shortage of the commodity in households and food industries.

Press Secretary Rose Beatrix Angeles said in a press briefing on August 18 that the proposed quantity was made during a meeting on August 17 between President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. and industry players.

Senate president Juan Miguel Zubiri, in a post on his social media page on August 17, said he led a delegation of farmers, millers, sugar workers, and refiners in a consultation with Marcos on the issues of sugar importation and productivity.

Zubiri said while the delegation members thanked Marcos for disallowing “too much importation of sugar”, they acknowledged the need to import “a smaller amount for industrial and household consumers”.

The consensus during the meeting, Zubiri said, was to import only 150,000 MT, which he said was determined using available data on the remaining demand.

The proposed quantity is only half of the 300,000 MT amount under the Sugar Regulatory Administration (SRA) Sugar Order No. 4, which was earlier rejected by Marcos.

Malacañang earlier declared as “illegal” Sugar Order No. 4, saying it was signed without the authority of Marcos, who is also chairman of the SRA Board.

The controversial signing of Sugar Oder No. 4 led to the resignations of Agriculture Undersecretary Leocadio Sebastian, SRA Administrator Hermenegildo Serafica, and SRA board member Roland Beltran amid a Palace investigation of the scandal.

Days after declaring Sugar Oder No. 4 illegal, Marcos said the Palace is considering direct sugar importation by food makers as part of government emergency measures to address industry worries about shortage of the commodity.

The statement was issued after Marcos met with industry players who urged the government to act now if it is considering importation for industrial use, as global suppliers may allocate their produce to other markets.

Three large beverage companies, Coca-Cola Beverage Philippines Inc. Pepsi-Cola Products Philippines Inc. and ARC Refreshments Corp., confirmed in a joint statement on August 15 a shortage of bottler’s grade or premium refined sugar. The Philippine Association of Stores and Carinderia Owners Inc. on August 18 also said they are now being affected by the sugar supply shortage.

Zubiri, meanwhile, said there were other initiatives recommended to ease the increase in sugar prices but that this will be announced by Marcos “at the proper time.”