• GILBERT P. BAYORAN
The review of the Sugarcane Industry Development Act (SIDA) of 2015 is set to begin next week, with the proposed amendments to be deliberated on by the House committee on agriculture chaired by Quezon First District Rep. Wilfrido Mark Enverga.
Negros Occidental Third District Rep. Javier Miguel Benitez said on Sunday, Aug. 2 discussions on the proposed amendments are scheduled to start on Aug. 4, marking the beginning of a comprehensive 10-year review of Republic Act 10659.
“We want our sugar industry to become more efficient, modernized, and globally competitive,” Benitez said, emphasizing that strengthening the sugar sector remains a priority, particularly for Negros Occidental where the industry continues to be a major economic driver.
He said the amendments aim to establish a more responsive, data-driven, and inclusive framework for the sugar industry, which remains a major source of livelihood in rural communities.
The deliberations will focus on House Bill 9088, or the Tunay na Ugnayan, Buhay, at Oportunidad sa Asukal (TUBO) Act of 2026, which Benitez filed on May 5 to introduce wide-ranging reforms aimed at stabilizing the country’s sugar industry.
The proposed measure seeks to address persistent volatility in sugar production, prices, and supply, concerns that stakeholders have attributed to regulatory gaps, inconsistent import policies, and shortcomings in the implementation of the existing law.
The SIDA law was authored by Benitez’s father, Deputy Speaker Bacolod City Lone District Rep. Alfredo Abelardo Benitez, when he was still congressman of the Third District in 2015.
Benitez said Enverga has encouraged the participation of resource persons during the hearings to ensure that the proposed amendments reflect the needs and concerns of all industry stakeholders.
“It has been 10 years since SIDA was enacted. We will review what worked and what did not, and hopefully the future of the sugar industry will be more promising,” he said.
Among the key reforms under House Bill 9088 are the adoption of data-driven importation policies as well as an 18-month moratorium on commercial sugar imports, except in cases of verified supply shortages.
Senate Deputy Floor Leader Joseph Victor Ejercito earlier filed a similar bill, also advocating reforms that would address the underutilization of development funds, modernize aging sugar mills, and protect local producers from the adverse effects of untimely sugar importations.
The senator’s proposals include redirecting funding toward the rehabilitation of sugar mills and improving the utilization of the law’s annual allocation for industry development. | GPB
