Friday, September 16, 2016
By MARCHEL P. ESPINA

NEGROS Occidental third district Representative Alfredo Benitez said he is seeking answers on the reduction in the P2-billion sugarcane industry fund for next year.

Instead of the P2-billion budget, only P1.562 billion was appropriated for 2017, Benitez said.

“By law, P2 billion is a mandatory appropriation that must be allocated for the sugarcane industry,” he pointed out.

Benitez authored Republic Act 10659, or the Sugarcane Industry Development Act, in the House of Representatives. It was enacted into a law by former President Benigno Aquino III in December 2014.

It seeks to improve the country’s sugar industry through the implementation of a productivity improvement program, farm support, research, infrastructure support, among others.

The annual P2 billion mandated appropriation from the National Government is intended for the various projects of the sugar industry including infrastructure (50 percent), block farming (15 percent), socialized credit (15 percent), farm mechanization (15 percent), and scholarship program and research (5 percent).

“It’s about time to ask the Congress to comply with the provision of the law,” Benitez said.

He added that he also sent a letter to Budget Secretary Benjamin Diokno about the matter.

“We will lobby for this, especially the sugar-producing provinces and districts, to make sure that we get the additional P500 million,” he added.

He said he discovered the slashed budget when the National Expenditure Program came out.

“We’re getting the short end of the stick,” he added.

For his part, House Speaker Pantaleon Alvarez said that he will look into the matter.

“We’re still deliberating the 2017 budget,” he said, adding that he hopes the budget will be passed in the House by end of October.