The Sugar Regulatory Administration (SRA) will undergo reorganizing following the resignation of key officials involved in the sugar importation controversy, President Ferdinand "Bongbong' Marcos Jr. announced on Wednesday.
Marcos, who also leads the Department of Agriculture (DA), said the reorganization of the agency could be finished before the end of the week.
"We are going to reorganize the SRA and as soon as that’s done... that should be done this week, before the end of this week," the Chief Executive told reporters at the PinasLakas vaccination event in Manila.
"We’ll reorganize the SRA and then we will come to an arrangement with the industrial consumers, with the planters, the millers, suppliers of the sugar to coordinate para talaga kung ano ’yung mayroon, kung ano ’yung available, mailabas na sa merkado. ’Yung kulang, eh kunin na natin, kunin na natin. Mag-import na tayo. Mapipilitan talaga tayo," he added.
Last week, the Office of the Press Secretary said the resolution that seeks to import 300,000 MT of sugar into the country is "illegal and unauthorized."
Following this, three officials have tendered their resignation from their posts: former Agriculture Undersecretary Leocadio Sebastian, SRA board member Atty. Roland Beltran, and SRA administrator Hermenegildo Serafica.
The unauthorized signing of the order on behalf of Marcos is currently under investigation in Congress.
On Monday, Marcos met with the members of the Philippine Chamber of Food Manufacturers, Inc. (PCFMI) to address the shortage of sugar supply in the country.
