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Senators seek more eyes on SRA after importation mess

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Sherrie Ann Torres, ABS-CBN News

<div class="embed-wrap"><figure data-feedback="fb:likes,fb:comments"><img alt="A vendor arranges her stock of sugar at a store in Mandaluyong city on August 29, 2022. Jonathan L. Cellona, ABS-CBN News/file" src="https://sa.kapamilya.com/absnews/abscbnnews/media/2022/news/09/09/20220829-salt-sugar-barangka-market-jc-4325.jpg"/><figcaption>A vendor arranges her stock of sugar at a store in Mandaluyong city on August 29, 2022. Jonathan L. Cellona, ABS-CBN News/file</figcaption></figure></div>MANILA -- Future missteps in the government’s sugar importation process will be prevented if more eyes will oversee the Sugar Regulatory Administration (SRA), according to a Senate panel.<ul class="op-related-articles">	<li><a href="https://news.abs-cbn.com/news/09/09/22/probe-on-sugar-importation-mess-yields-good-outcome">Senate probe on sugar importation mess yields &#x27;good outcome&#x27; - group</a></li></ul>The joint Senate Blue Ribbon and Agriculture and Food panels’ Committee Report Number 3 has recommended the expansion of the Sugar Regulatory Administration (SRA) board, a day after concluding its investigation on the circumstances behind the crafting and approval of Sugar Order Number 4, which recommended the importation of 300,000 metric tons of sugar.<ul class="op-related-articles">	<li><a href="https://news.abs-cbn.com/news/09/01/22/senate-panel-to-wrap-up-probe-on-sugar-importation-mess-soon">Senate panel to wrap up probe on sugar importation mess soon</a></li></ul>ABS-CBN News received a copy of the report which was filed before the Senate’s Bills and Index Department by Blue Ribbon chairman, Sen. Francis Tolentino last September 8.In the report signed by 14 out of the 17 senators, the committee said the current three-man SRA Board next to the sitting Agriculture secretary as an ex-officio member must be increased to eight members for a more inclusive group that could produce more sound judgment and recommendations.“Of particular interest to the Committee are the effects of importation in the lives of ordinary Filipinos, especially those from vulnerable sectors such as the small-scale sugarcane planters, sugar industry workers and the regular sugar consumers… it is imperative to ensure that future importations of sugar, or other officially-important agricultural products are carefully studied, authorized and absolutely necessary,” CR Number 3 stated.The Senate panel sees the need to amend Executive Order Number 18 creating the SRA, specifically, the expansion of its board and including representatives of industrial and household consumers, sugar industry workers, sugar transportation sector, and other stakeholders.<ul class="op-related-articles">	<li><a href="https://news.abs-cbn.com/news/09/08/22/senate-panel-seeks-raps-vs-agri-officials-tagged-in-sugar-fiasco">Senate panel seeks filing of raps vs Agri officials tagged in sugar fiasco</a></li></ul>There is also a need to review the country’s importation policy which today, solely resides with the SRA Board, it said.“To prevent collusion between SRA, importers and other scrupulous persons, the laws should be amended to allow high demand or industrial users to directly import sugar based on their requirements, through issuances of import permits,” the report stated.The body has also called for “more transparency and accountability” on agencies involved in sugar importation, with the need to introduce relevant legislation.<ul class="op-related-articles">	<li><a href="https://news.abs-cbn.com/video/news/09/09/22/some-senators-see-no-fault-on-rodriguez-over-sugar-importation-mess">Marcos allies in Senate see no fault on Rodriguez over sugar importation mess</a></li></ul>The panel also concluded that “the SRA Supply Data and the preponderance of the evidence presented to the Committee indicate that there may have been an actual sugar shortage or at the very least anticipated sugar supply shortfalls prior to the issuance of Sugar Order No. 4.”The report recommended to the Office of the Ombudsman charges against suspended Agriculture official Leocadio Sebastian, and resigned SRA Administrator Hermenegildo Serafica and ex-Board Members Roland Beltran and Aurelio Valderrama.The four officials, according to the report, committed &quot;serious dishonesty, grave misconduct, gross neglect of duty, conduct prejudicial to the best interest of the service, and gross insubordination under the revised rules on administrative cases in the civil service.&quot;Those who have signed CR Number 3 are Senators Tolentino, Cynthia Villar, Ronald dela Rosa, Christopher Go, Win Gatchalian, Jinggoy Estrada, Imee Marcos, Raffy Tulfo, Robinhood Padilla, and Juan Miguel Zubiri.Senate Deputy Minority Leader Risa Hontiveros signed with a note “I dissent. We will submit a Minority Report.”Senators Pia Cayetano and Sonny Angara also signed but affixed notes “may interpellate” and “for further debate,” respectively. Panel members who did not sign CR Number 3 are: Alan Peter Cayetano; Ramon “Bong” Revilla, Jr.; JV Ejercito; Grace Poe; Manuel “Lito” Lapid; Nancy Binay, and Francis Escudero.Ex-officio members who also did not sign the report are: Senate Minority Leader Aquilino “Koko” Pimentel III; Majority Leader Joel Villanueva, and Senate President Pro Tempore Loren Legarda.

Future missteps in the government’s sugar importation process will be prevented if more eyes will oversee the Sugar Regulatory Administration (SRA), according to a Senate panel.

Senators seek more eyes on SRA after importation mess

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Senators seek more eyes on SRA after importation mess

Sherrie Ann Torres,

ABS-CBN News

Published September 09, 2022 06:04 PM PHT

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Senate blue ribbon committee

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