Former Senate President and senatorial candidate Juan Ponce Enrile assailed the deregulation of sugar importation proposed by the country’s economic managers as he warned government that thousands of sugar farmers and workers “will go hungry” if it is implemented.
“I urge the government to avoid the inordinate importation of commodities like sugar to protect our sugar farmers and workers and their families who will go hungry if the government will not protect them,” said Enrile, who is vying for a Senate comeback in the upcoming 2019 midterm elections.
Enrile noted that the sugar industry contributes about P120 billion annually to the national economy through the sale of raw and refined sugar, molasses, bioethanol, and biopower.
The industry also employs about 84,000 farmers and 720,000 workers in 28 sugar-producing provinces in the countries, all in all providing the primary source of livelihood for five million Filipinos.