The Sugar Regulatory Administration (SRA) said it plans on issuing the order allowing the importation of 150,000 metric tons (MT) of sugar sometime in September.
This was disclosed by SRA Acting Administrator David Alba at a Philippine Sugar Technologists Association (PHILSUTECH) convention on Thursday.
"Upon the recommendation of the President, we will work on the importation order of 150,000 metric tons of purely refined sugar as a balancing act to stabilize market prices and this is what is enshrined in SO2 (Sugar Order No. 2)," Alba said.
“Our target is to have the SO2 released by mid-September so its arrival will not interfere with the resumption of operations by our sugar refineries that normally starts mid-November," he added.
Malacanang earlier confirmed that the proposed amount of sugar that will be imported is 150,000 metric tons — about half of the 300,000 MT of sugar indicated in the controversial importation order signed despite the lack of approval from President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. himself.
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.
The proposed 150,000 metric tons of sugar imports will be equally divided between industrial use (75,000 metric tons) and home consumption (75,000 metric tons).
