- MITCH M. LIPA
The National Congress of Unions in the Sugar Industry of the Philippines headed by Negrense Roland de la Cruz is open with other labor groups from the province to form an alliance in support of the senatorial bid of former Third District Rep. Alfredo Benitez in May 2022.
De la Cruz said allied organizations and other sugar industry union leaders from Luzon, Visayas, and Mindanao had first signified to join their call after a meeting last weekend.
The group cited the accomplishments of Benitez in support of the sugar industry by leading the passage of SIDA Law or the Sugar Industry Development Act.
The SIDA Act is a Benitez legacy, he added.
The union leaders will mount a campaign to rally allied organizations for a united force to boost the call urging the former solon to run for the Senate, De la Cruz said.
NACUSIP, he said, has a nationwide membership of more than 30,000 who are willing to sign the petition, if needed for Benitez to consider the call.
Earlier, Sugar Regulatory Administration Board Member Emilio “Dino” Yulo III said that if Benitez would run, it would then be a welcome development for the sugar industry.
Yulo, who represents the planters in the SRA Board, said any additional warm body in the Senate who can support the sugar industry would be welcome.
“We know that the last bastion of the sugar industry has always been the Senate during the past few years so one more warm body is indeed good for Negros Occidental and the sugar industry,” he said.
Even Governor Eugenio Jose Lacson has thrown his support to Benitez, who is the Capitol consultant on tourism and investment.
“We, Negrenses, have always wanted a senator from our province, and no better person than Cong. Albee would best represent us,” Lacson said. – MML
