by Eugene Adiong on Fri, 10/14/2016

Negros Occidental Representative Alfredo Benitez (3rd District) yesterday confirmed that the allocation for the sugar industry as mandated in the Sugar Industry Act (SIDA) of 2015 is short by P600 million for next year.

However, Benitez said that there was a gentleman’s agreement with the Department of Budget and Management that the shortfall will be added to the 2018 budget.

Benitez said this will make the 2018 SIDA P2.6 billion.

The SIDA was signed by then President Benigno Aquino III to develop the Philippine sugarcane industry by setting aside P2 billion every year for grants to sugarcane farmers, farm mechanization programs, research and development activities for the sugarcane industry, and scholarship grants for agriculture students.

Benitez, who made his State of the District Report yesterday at the Silay Civic Center considered the SIDA as his brainchild.

It also institutionalizes the “Block Farm Program,” which consolidates small farms, including farms of agrarian reform beneficiaries, as one larger farm, with a minimum area of thirty (30) hectares within a two-kilometer radius.

This program seeks to ensure more efficient use of farm machineries and equipment, and deployment of workers.

The law also provides for increasing the competitiveness of the sugarcane industry, improving the incomes of farmers and farm workers through improved productivity; product diversification; job generation and increased efficiency of sugar mills.

Among its provisions on increasing productivity, is the institutionalization of the block farming program initiated by the SRA.

Meanwhile, Benitez said that a total of P3.9 billion was poured in his district from 2013-2016 for various infrastructure projects.*