Sugar Industry Unions Rally Behind Congressman Benitez in Transparency Fight
The National Congress of Unions in the Sugar Industry of the Philippines–Trade Union Congress of the Philippines (Nacusip-TUCP), together with allied workers' organizations and agrarian reform beneficiaries' groups, has voiced robust support for Negros Occidental Third District Representative Javier Miguel Benitez. They are denouncing what they describe as a campaign of misinformation by the Sugar Regulatory Administration (SRA).
Demands for Transparency and Accountability
Nacusip-TUCP National President Roland de la Cruz emphasized the urgency of their demands. "For the nth time, we demand the immediate release of the official minutes of Sugar Order 8, Series of 2024–2025. The SRA's secrecy is a betrayal of the farmers and workers who keep this industry alive. Transparency is non-negotiable," de la Cruz stated firmly.
The coalition has reiterated its call for the resignation of key SRA officials, including Administrator Pablo Luis Azcona, Planters' Representative David Andrew Sanson, and Millers' Representative Ma. Mitzi Mangwag. De la Cruz argued that their continued roles have exacerbated poverty and injustice among small-scale farmers and agrarian reform beneficiaries. "Their continued presence on the Sugar Board has fueled poverty and injustice among small farm tillers and agrarian reform beneficiaries. They must pack their bags and leave SRA," he declared.
Industry Ownership and Justice
De la Cruz underscored that the sugar industry rightfully belongs to the laborers in the fields and the farmers who cultivate the land, not to bureaucrats operating behind closed doors. He affirmed that Nacusip-TUCP and its allies will persist until accountable, transparent, and justice-oriented leaders are installed in the sugar sector. "The time for secrecy is over. The time for justice is now," de la Cruz concluded.
Benitez Refutes Allegations on Price Decline
Representative Benitez earlier dismissed claims that congressional hearings triggered the decline in sugar prices, attributing the market downturn to oversupply and policy decisions rather than legislative oversight. He labeled these allegations as baseless and irresponsible, suggesting they originated from within the SRA itself.
"Rather than answer for the oversupply it authorized, the SRA would rather point the finger at the institution that chose to investigate it," Benitez remarked. He clarified that sugar prices are determined by supply and demand dynamics, not by hearings.
Data Reveals Oversupply Issues
Benitez cited compelling data to support his argument. At the onset of the October 2025 milling season, total physical sugar inventory surged to 902,082 metric tons, marking a 44 percent increase from the previous year. Carry-over stocks reached 738,633 metric tons, nearly double the ideal buffer level, indicating an excessive supply already present in the market.
He also highlighted Sugar Order 8, which authorized the importation of 424,000 metric tons of refined sugar scheduled for arrival between July and November 2025, coinciding with the domestic milling season's opening. Notably, Negros sugar leaders had recommended only 150,000 metric tons.
Impact on Farm-Gate Prices
The timing and volume of these imports contributed to a sharp decline in farm-gate prices, which plummeted to between 2,000 pesos and 2,200 pesos per 50-kilogram bag by January 2026, falling below production costs. "All of this happened before any hearing was announced," Benitez noted, adding that commodity prices respond to actual market conditions, not congressional inquiries.
He explained that traders halted purchases because warehouses were already at capacity, not due to new information from the House of Representatives. Instead, the hearings conducted in aid of legislation helped establish the foundation for the Department of Agriculture's extension of the sugar import ban through December 2026. Benitez described this moratorium as crucial protection for local producers.
"The hearing they are blaming is actually what protected us," Benitez asserted, emphasizing that Congress acted to address industry instability and support farmers.
