Palace: Marcos allowed sale of smuggled sugar at Kadiwa centers

President Ferdinand “Bongbong” Marcos Jr. has approved the sale of seized smuggled sugar at P70 per kilo at Kadiwa centers, according to the Presidential Communications Office (PCO) on Tuesday.

“Kamakailan, inaprubahan ni Pangulong Ferdinand R. Marcos, Jr. ang rekomendasyon ng Sugar Regulatory Administration (SRA) na ibigay bilang donasyon sa Department of Agriculture (DA) ang 4,000 metric tons ang nahuling smuggled refined sugar upang maipagbili sa publiko sa mga Kadiwa Centers sa halagang katumbas ng actual mill gate prices na sa ngayon ay nasa P70 per kilo,” the PCO said in a statement.

(Recently, Marcos approved the recommendation of the SRA to give as a donation to the DA the 4,000 metric tons of smuggled refined sugar to be sold to the public at Kadiwa Centers in the amount equivalent to the actual mill gate prices that are currently P70 per kilo.)

The President also ordered the DA and SRA to coordinate with the Bureau of Customs (BOC) and other government agencies to ensure that the sugar for sale passed the food safety act and other regulations, the PCO said.

The price of refined sugar in the market costs between P86 and P110 per kilo.

The Kadiwa Center is a program of the DA which aims to provide the public affordable goods.

The PCO, citing the Customs Modernization Tariff Act (CMTA), said the confiscated smuggled agricultural products can be given by donation to other government agencies.

“Naisin mang ipamigay ito ng libre direkta sa mga nangangailangan, kailangang isaalang-alang ang industriya ng asukal, kasama ang mga maliliit na magsasaka. Ang pagbigay ng libre ng mga asukal ay mag-reresulta sa artipisyal na pagbagsak ng presyo na ikalulugi ng mga kababayan nating nasa industriya ng asukal,” the PCO said.

(In as much as we want to give it for free directly to those in need, the sugar industry, including small farmers, need to be considered. Giving away sugar for free will result in an artificial drop in prices that will cost losses for fellow workers in the sugar industry.)

“Yung layunin po nito is to provide the consuming public with the cheaper sugar in the market,” SRA board member and planters’ representative Pablo Luis Azcona said in Bernadette Reyes’ “24 Oras” report on Tuesday.

The United Sugar Producers Federation of the Philippines (UNIFED) supported the Palace move.

“Itong mga smugglers hindi na nila marerecycle po. Kasi ang ginagawa, ang madakip ng authorities bini-bidding, ina-auction eh ang bumibili ganun pa rin, sila pa rin mga smugglers. So narerecycle. So ito no chance to recycle,” UNIFED president Manuel Lamata said.

(These smugglers can't recycle anymore. Because those who are caught by the authorities are bidding and auctioning, but the buyer is still the same, they are still smugglers. So the goods become recyclable. Now, there is no chance to recycle.)

The DA said its is preparing the guidelines to ensure that the initiative will pass the legal hurdles.

“Baka pwedeng sa donation. Kung idodonate ito sa DA, from agriculture to other institutions, maybe FTI, then from FTI going to Kadiwa,” DA deputy spokesperson Rex Estoperez said.

(Maybe with a donation. If it is donated to the DA, from agriculture to other institutions maybe FTI, then from FTI going to Kadiwa.)

Asked if the SRA expects an legal impediment, Estoperez said “Wala po naman but as long as we have to make it clear doon po sa ating mga guidelines.”

(Nothing, as long as we have to make it clear in our guidelines.)

Meanwhile, Senator Risa Hontiveros said she received reports that several industrial users wanted to import sugar from Thailand at only P25 per kilo, according to Mav Gonzales’ “24 Oras” report on Tuesday.

However, they were not allowed by Agriculture Senior Undersecretary Domingo Panganiban.

They were instead directed to three accredited sugar traders — All Asian Countertrade, Sucden Philippines, and Edison Lee Marketing.

The price of All Asian is P85 per kilo of sugar.

Based on the computation of Hontiveros’ office, of the 440,000 metric tons of sugar to be imported, the profit of the three importers will reach P10.5 to P14 billion.

“It is a cartel that generates super profits, none of which will go to the national treasury. Hindi pa tayo, kahit kailan, nakaranas ng ganito kagarapal na monopolyo. sa ganung tubo na pinaghahatian lang ng tatlo, di mahirap isipin kung magkano ang kickback diyan,” Hontiveros said.

(It is a cartel that generates super profits, none of which will go to the national treasury. We have never, ever, experienced such a glorious monopoly. With that kind of profit that is shared by the three, it is not difficult to imagine how much kickback there is.)

Hontiveros also filed a resolution to investigate the matter by the Senate blue ribbon committee.

She also showed photos of the three sugar importers together with Marcos and Panganiban in Malacañang.

“Is it normal to host sugar importers in Malacañang? Is the President being manipulated by his underlings who handpicked the importers?” Hontiveros said.

GMA Integrated News is still asking the side of the President, Panganiban, and the three mentioned sugar traders.

Estoperez said this was previously answered by Panganiban, adding that the aim of the department was to lessen the price of sugar.

“Ang titingnan natin sa ngayon ang pagbaba ng presyo sa ating mga merkado,” Estoperez said.

(What we are looking at now is to decrease the prices of sugar in our markets.)—LDF, GMA Integrated News