The Department of Agriculture (DA) formally received 4,000 metric tons (MT) of white refined sugar from the Department of Finance – Bureau of Customs (DOF-BOC) to be sold at various KADIWA markets and stalls, August 1.
The sugar, which was shipped from Thailand, was seized at the Port of Batangas last April for lack of proper documents specifically the required Notice of Arrival. It was later cleared for donation and consumption based on the guidelines specified in the DA-Sugar Regulatory Administration (SRA) Memorandum Circular No. 4, series of 2022-2023 as well as the Republic Act No. 10863 or the Customs Modernization and Tariff Act.
The said move is in compliance with the directive of President Ferdinand R. Marcos Jr. to address the rising prices of basic commodities—particularly sugar—and achieve national food security.
As per the latest Supply and Demand Situation of the DA-Sugar Regulatory Administration (SRA), the current sugar supply is more than enough to sustain existing demands.
The report noted a physical stock of 262,328.30 MT raw sugar, 448,106.45 MT refined sugar, and 148,264.29 MT molasses as of July 16.
Meanwhile, the DA-Surveillance, Monitoring, and Enforcement Group also reported that, as of July 31, the retail price of refined sugar in Metro Manila markets ranges from P86 to P110 per kilo, washed sugar from P82 to P90, while a kilo of brown sugar is between P78 to P90.
“We firmly believe that, through DA, this donation will reach various local communities and enable our fellow Filipinos to conveniently access sugar,” said BOC Commissioner Bienvenido Rubio.
Representing the DA family during the signing of the Deed of Donation and Acceptance were Senior Undersecretary Domingo F. Panganiban, Assistant Secretary for Consumer Affairs and Spokesperson Kristine Evangelista, Assistant Secretary for Inspectorate and Enforcement James Layug, SRA Administrator Pablo Luis Azcona, and Bureau of Plant Industry (BPI) Director Gerald Glenn Panganiban in his concurrent capacity as Director of the National Urban and Peri-Urban Agriculture Program Director (NUPAP) and the High Value Crops Development Program (HVCDP).
Also present were DOF OIC-Undersecretary Dakila Elteen Napao, BOC Deputy Commissioner Vener Baquiran, BOC Chief-of-Staff of the Office of the Commissioner Marlon Agaceta, BOC Port Operations Service Director Clarence Dizon, BOC Deputy Collector for Operations Filemon Mendoza Jr., and BOC-Auction and Cargo Disposal Monitoring Division Chief Nicolas Kyamko III. ### (Krystelle Ymari A. Vergara, DA-AFID)
