MANILA - President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. has earned praises from several lawmakers for his efforts to bring down sugar prices. This was after Robinsons Supermaket, SM Supermarket, and Puregold Price Club heeded Marcos' call to offer sugar to their consumers at a lower cost. Executive Secretary Victor Rodriguez' series of talks with owners of the country's leading supermarkets resulted in the agreement to reduce sugar prices to PHP70 per kg. Reacting to the latest development, San Jose del Monte City Lone District Rep. Florida Robes said on Saturday that the consumers and farmers are "winning." She noted that Marcos' initiatives to address concerns over the sugar supply in the country prove that smugglers and hoarders would never succeed. "The series of determined moves that the President initiated to address an impending sugar crisis turned the tables against agricultural smugglers and food hoarders," said Robes, who chairs the House of Representative
(File photo) MANILA - The government is "seriously" looking into the proposal to allow food manufacturers to directly import sugar, Malacanang said Friday. In an online press briefing, Press Secretary Trixie Cruz-Angeles said there is no final decision yet on the planned direct sugar importation by big food and beverage firms. "I-a-announce po namin kapag final na po ito (We will announce if it is already final). It is a proposal and seriously being considered," Cruz-Angeles said. On Tuesday, President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. said the government is eyeing the direct importation of local good manufacturers as part of "emergency measures" to address the sugar supply shortage. The plan needs the approval of the Sugar Regulatory Administration (SRA), currently headed by Marcos. Cruz-Angeles said the inspection of warehouses will continue to determine if hoarders are creating an "artificial" shortage of sugar. "Tuluy-tuloy kasi 'yung operasyon n