Quezon Rep. Suarez calls for review of SRA mandate

Quezon Rep. Jayjay C. Suarez during the Congressional inquiry on the SRA.

MANILA, Philippines — Quezon Rep. David Jayjay Suarez (2nd District) said lawmakers should review the mandate of the Sugar Regulatory Administration (SRA) and establish if it has served its purpose as set out under Executive Order No. 18 and Republic Act 10659, or the Sugarcane Industry Development Act of 2015.

Suarez said the SRA seems to have failed in carrying out its purpose, noting how the sugarcane industry has remained dependent on importation to address local supply shortages and citing the current mess involving the issuance of an unauthorized order that would have allowed 300,000 metric tons of sugar to flood the local market.

“Sa 35 taon na buhay ng SRA, hindi naging maayos ang kondisyon ng ating mga magsasaka ng tubo. Nananatiling mababa ang kanilang mga income at mahirap ang kanilang kabuhayan. In my opinion, the SRA has utterly failed to carry out its mandate to uplift the lives of our sugarcane planters and improve the industry,” Suarez said.

The lawmaker referenced to the reply of resigned SRA administrator Hermenegildo Serafica during last Monday’s meeting of the House Committee on Good Governance and Public Accountability when he asked if the circumstances of sugarcane farmers have become better following the creation of the SRA.

Serafica, during the briefing, replied “no” when Suarez asked him: “Sa 35 years na buhay ng SRA, gumanda ba ang buhay ng magsasakang tubo?”

Under Executive Order No. 18, dated May 28, 1986, which created the SRA, the agency is mandated to promote the growth and development of the sugar industry through greater participation of the private sector and to improve the working conditions of the laborers.

On the other hand, RA 10659, or the Sugarcane Industry Development Act of 2015, likewise said it was the function of the SRA to promote the competitiveness of the sugarcane industry and maximize the utilization of sugarcane resources and improve the incomes of farmers and farm workers, through improved productivity, product diversification, job generation, and increased efficiency of sugar mills.

“Malinaw na wala naman nagbago sa buhay ng ating mga magsasaka ng tubo. Hindi umangat ang antas ng kanilang mga buhay. On the contrary, their lives seem to have become worse. While already dealing with low production woes because of inclement weather conditions and the COVID-19 pandemic, they also have to constantly compete with imported sugar which have been flooding the local market for years already,” Suarez said.

“I think it is time that Congress review the mandate and continued existence of the SRA. We can recommend legislative remedies and improve it, or maybe we can even recommend its abolition, whichever would bring more benefit to our sugarcane planters, laborers and other stakeholders,” he added.

/MUF