Local sugar will prevail in Asean free trade – Villar

As principal author of the newly-approved Sugar Industry Development Act, Sen. Cynthia A. Villar assured yesterday that the law will make sure local sugar will be able to compete against ASEAN countries when integration of economies starts in the later part of the year.

“Through this law, the concern that local sugar will not be favored in the ASEAN integration when cheaper sugar starts flooding the market is now addressed,” Villar said.

Villar, chairman of the senate committee on agriculture and food, said the law provides for additional government funding to make sure production cost of sugar will be cheaper and the quality of sugar products first-rate as tariffs on imported products drop.

When economies of the Association of Southeast Asian Nations integrate starting December 2015, tariff on sugar will be lowered to five percent.

"The new law makes sure that more assistance will be available for sugar workers to boost local sugar's competitiveness," she said.

Villar presided over two committee hearings on the measure, including one hearing held in Bacolod City on November last year.

On Sept. 9, 2014, Villar sponsored and defended the sugar bill committee report. On Oct. 27, 2014, the Senate voted unanimously to approve the measure on third reading.

Two meetings of the technical working group were also held to fine tune the law.

Villar also headed the Senate panel in the bicameral conference committee held on Dec. 18, 2014.

On Feb. 2, 2015, she sponsored and worked for the approval of the bicameral report on the bill. By March 3, 2015, enrolled copies of the bill were transmitted to President Aquino through the Presidential-Legislative Liaison Office.

“The law as crafted, not only focuses on increasing and improving the yield, we also included programs that will develop the skills of the workers and their dependents through training and capacity-building activities,” Villar said.