EvEryman

By Richard Orsino

AS THE country braces for a long dry spell with the onset of El Niño, the government is considering the possibility of allowing industrial users to import sugar directly for their needs and to address potential shortages in the sugar supply chain.

This is in response to concerns over the impact of El Niño on the country’s agriculture sector, particularly on the sugar industry.

The proposal also seeks an expansion of the list of sugar importers beyond the three “preferred” traders at present.

Manila 6th District Representative Bienvenido “Benny” Abante Jr. recently voiced his support for this measure, citing the urgent need to prevent job losses and stop the expected hikes in sugar prices that could burden consumers.

The recent news the retail price of sugar in supermarkets has hit a high of P136 per kilo is already a cause for alarm for many Filipinos.

Macron insisted requiring people to work two years more before qualifying for a pension was needed to keep the system afloat as the population ages, while opponents proposed raising taxes on the wealthy or employers instead, and said the change threatened hard-won social safety nets.

In France, labor unions are strong unlike in the Philippines where the prospect of losing jobs in a weak economy (our economic managers insist otherwise) has mellowed the labor unions into meek submission.

That of course is another long story, in our country where income inequality is so rife, and where the nouveau riche even flaunt their wealth and tasteless lifestyles on Youtube. ***

This writer is deeply saddened by the loss of a good man and a truly dedicated public servant -- Carlos Padilla, governor of Nueva Vizcaya.

Together with Doy Laurel and Eva EstradaKalaw, we watched in awe when, in 1984, he defeated the grand old man of Vizcaya politics, the late Leonardo Perez, former Comelec chairman under PFM Sr.

I was then the deputy secretary general of the opposition UNIDO when we challenged the monolithic KBL and succeeded in getting 59 members out of 180, no mean feat, with little resources, fortified only by defiant courage and the memory of the murdered Ninoy Aquino.

Caloy Padilla was one of those valiant men who fought great odds and triumphed. The 1984 Batasan Pambansa elections became a precursor of the fall of the dictatorship.

The people of his province benefited immensely from this leader who brought major improvements in the lives of his constituents, particularly the vegetable farmers for whom he tirelessly worked in Congress to fund good roads that brought good value for their produce.

This writer was proud of his small role, as presidential adviser on political affairs during the aborted reign of Pres. Joseph Estrada, in helping Caloy achieve his dreams for his people.

My profound condolences to widowed Ruth, who also served Nueva Vizcaya, and their children. The country has lost another decent and dedicated public servant.

UNITED States President Joe Biden has given a clear and reassuring message to President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. the US stays “ironclad” in its commitment to the defense of the Philippines, including the South China Sea, and they will continue supporting the Philippines’ military modernization.

Biden recognized that “Our countries not only share strong partnership. We share deep friendship, one that has been enriched by millions of Filipino-Americans and the communities all across the United States.”

A fact that underlines the deep socio-economic dimensions between Americans and Filipinos. President Marcos Jr. said, “And so it is only natural that — for the Philippines to look to its sole treaty partner in the world, to strengthen and to redefine the relationship that we have and the roles that we play in the face of these tensions that we see now around the South China Sea and the AsiaPacific and Indo-Pacific region.”

These strong statements made during the recently concluded bilateral meeting between the two heads of state enunciates the Philippine-US alliance as the dynamics of geopolitical tensions in the Indo-Pacific has become increasingly complex and multipolar.

Media headlines have related the President’s working visit to the US to strengthening defense cooperation amidst the increasing Chinese harassments in our maritime territories.

Actually, the May 1 bilateral meeting already builds on earlier talks during the United Nations General Assembly in September 2022.

There were also meetings with US Vice President Kamala Harris, Secretary of State Anthony Blinken, and Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin III during their official visits to Manila.

The recently concluded live-fire Balikatan war games, the largest military exercise ever between US and Philippines troops, showcased a glimpse of the kind of fire power and interoperability that have been established should circumstances force the activation of military interventions.

The addition of four more sites Enhanced Defense Cooperation Agreement (EDCA) is strategically significant and aligns to the Mutual Defense Treaty. pand a state’s sphere of influence, is always motivated by economic interests.

Further deepening and expanding the defense cooperation is the adoption of Bilateral Defense Guidelines to ensure interoperability of forces on land, sea, air, and even cyberspace.

In last week’s forum on Modernizing Philippine Defense Capabilities and Elevating Security Partnerships hosted by the Stratbase ADR Institute, its president Prof. Victor Andres “Dindo” Manhit said, “With various elements attempting to tear down the rulesbased international order, particularly in the West Philippine Sea, the Marcos Jr administration must continue to engage with likeminded partners such as the United States, Japan, and Australia, among others, to secure Philippine waters and contribute to the security of the region.

Whether it is seeing an opportunity to become the dominant power, or in our case struggling to build a competitive position we can sustain – strengthening the economy is the thing.

This is an element of the Biden-Marcos Jr. bilateral meeting that should get more attention as this presents a potential with long-term economic benefits that will benefit Filipinos.

To this, Biden announced he is sending the Presidential Trade and Investment Mission to the Philippines, “first of its kind” aimed to boost the investments of American firms in the country with interest in the innovation economy, clean energy, and food security.”

The US and Philippines will also be cohosting the 2024 Info-Pacific Business Forum here in Manila.

It will be interesting how negotiations on the US-Philippine civil nuclear cooperation agreement will move forward.

Cooperation in the development of renewable energy such as solar, wind, and geothermal energy is also on the agenda.

“The current administration must implement a responsive and strategic national security policy that enhances the capacities of our military and protects the livelihood of our fisherfolk.”

Mr. Brett Blackshaw, Political Counselor of the U.S. Embassy in the Philippines said, “On the US-PH alliance, our focus on maritime cooperation is on ensuring the Philippines has a credible deterrent to uphold and defend its sovereign rights.

“The past shows us appeasement does not work. It is important to show confidence and to develop the capabilities to stand up for lawful rights. And that is why having allies and friends matters so much.”

Maintaining peace and security, or looking at it from the dark side, ambitions to ex-

Reducing greenhouse gas emissions, knowledge sharing, and other initiatives are also on the table.

The President met with companies in the maritime, pharmaceutical, nuclear and solar energy, BPO, semi-conductor, and healthcare. Approximately $1.3 billion in investment pledges will hopefully generate about 7,000 jobs.

Our geographic location puts us in the middle of these continuing geopolitical disruptions but is a situation we can effectively address by remaining steadfast and aligning with like-minded states in sustaining the rules-based international order by collectively deterring a destructive confrontation that nobody really wants.

‘Break the cartel; Fix PH’s sugar import policies’

Many are now calling on the government for an immediate resolution.

However, there are concerns the current policy on sugar importation, known as the Minimum Access Volume mechanism, is slow and bureaucratic.

While it has been in place for several years as a measure to protect the local sugar industry, the threat of El Niño on top of the now skyrocketing price of sugar demands the government must adopt a faster, more flexible, if not more radical, approach.

This burgeoning sugar supply crisis also follows allegations by Senator Risa Hontiveros the government is playing favorites by allowing only three private traders to import sugar under the current system.

She said this apparent “cartel” rakes in billions of pesos in “super profits” by selling the commodity at an “outrageous” price – none of which will go to the National Treasury.

Furthermore, related allegations of sugar smuggling have underscored the need for greater accountability and oversight in sugar importation.

Senator Hontiveros stressed selling seized smuggled sugar to the public through the government’s Kadiwa stores only empowers the smugglers. Instead, Hontiveros suggested the smuggled commodity be given for free to poor communities.

Clearly, the potential disaster we are facing is both man-made and natural.

As we prepare for the potential impact of El Niño on our agriculture sector, it is crucial we prioritize the needs of the people.

Liberalizing sugar importation and allowing industrial users like manufacturers of food and beverage products to import directly can help achieve these goals.

By liberalizing sugar importation, the government will not only prevent a possible shortage of the sweet commodity but will also promote competition in the sugar industry. This can lead to better sugar prices for both producers and consumers, as Filipino consumers will not have to compete with industrial users for supply.

Furthermore, this move will also help stabilize the food and beverage industry at this difficult time, preventing production stoppage and job loss.

Liberalizing sugar importation can possibly even open an opportunity for small and medium-sized businesses to enter the market and participate in the supply chain, thus creating more jobs and driving economic growth.

However, it is important to note liberalizing sugar importation should not be done at the expense of the local sugar industry.

The government must strike a careful balance between protecting local sugar producers and ensuring the country’s sugar supply is kept stable.

Proper regulation and monitoring of imported sugar must also be done to prevent the entry of substandard products.

Simply put, we cannot allow a select few to profit at the expense of the many.

The government must now act swiftly and decisively to avert a preventable disaster that can potentially wreak havoc on the country’s economy.

(The author is a retired executive who worked for three decades in the telecommunications industry.)