CITY OF SAN FERNANDO — Perhaps learning from the dire outcome of rice liberalization, the Senate appears to be rejecting proposals to also liberalize sugar imports.
The newly formed Tanggol Asukal Network (TAN) has lauded majority members of the Philippine Senate for rejecting plans of the country’s economic managers to liberalize sugar importation.
Antonio Flores, one of the spokespersons of the network, said “we agree with the Senate resolution’s contention that the planned sugar liberalization would have dire consequences on sugar workers and farmers.”
TAN was formed by the Unyon ng mga Manggagawa sa Agrikultura (UMA) and the National Federation of Sugar Workers (NFSW) on Nov. 8 together with other stakeholders in the sugar industry. It is composed mainly of sugar workers and small planters, which seeks to create a mass movement against sugar import liberalization.
TAN also urged the Senate “to conduct a hearing on the planned import liberalization and invite sugar workers and small planters to said activity. “
“The Senate should also hear the plight of the sugar workers who are one of the most lowliest paid workers in the country and small planters who seldom are provided aid by the government through subsidies unlike their counterparts in Thailand,” it said.
Earlier two resolutions in the Philippine Congress were also passed against sugar import liberalization.
The first was filed by 21 legislators from sugar producing provinces led by Rep. Francisco Benitez and Rep. Joseph Stephen Paduano.
This was followed by a resolution filed by the Makabayan bloc which described the economic managers as “insensitive to the plight of sugar workers and planters.”
TAN also called on “all those against sugar import liberalization, they be workers, planters or plain consumers to unite against this said measure to ensure not only the livelihood of its workers and planters but to also to save the Philippine sugar industry against the onslaughts of neo-liberalism.”
