BACOLOD CITY – Acting Administrator David John Thaddeus Alba has lauded the 41-percent increase in the annual budget of the Sugar Regulatory Administration (SRA) for the year 2023.
“We welcome the budget increase for SRA for next year’s utilization as the industry is in dire need of programs to be implemented so we can increase productivity,” Alba said in a statement on Monday.
From a budget of PHP712.2 million this year, SRA will receive PHP1 billion next year.
He said with higher allocation, there will be more funds for research and development programs and support services for small farmers, particularly those in block farming, that will boost the national government’s thrust on food security.
Alba said they also welcome the PHP19.5-billion fund for fertilizer support after prices of fertilizers have tripled in the last three years.
“We hope that sugar farmers and all the others in (the) agriculture industry will benefit from this earmarked program,” he added.
Moreover, Alba said he is hopeful that the SRA can also get back the entire PHP2-billion allocation under the Sugar Industry Development Act (SIDA).
“This has been cut down to a fourth for this year. For the sugar industry to be sustainable and attain self-sufficiency for the country, we need to double time in our efforts and any budget increase will help ensure we can meet this,” he said.
This year, the SIDA fund was further reduced to only PHP500 million as the sugar industry has been accused of underutilizing the allocation, Alba had earlier said.
The SIDA or Republic Act 10659, which was enacted in 2015, aims to promote the competitiveness of the sugarcane industry and maximize the utilization of sugarcane resources, and improve the incomes of farmers and farm workers, through improved productivity, product diversification, job generation, and increased efficiency of sugar mills.
Of the PHP2 billion annual fund, PHP1 billion is allocated for infrastructure, mainly for farm-to-mill roads; PHP300 million for credit; PHP100 million for scholarships: PHP300 million for block farm of the land reform beneficiaries; and PHP300 million for shared facilities program. (PNA)
