MAKATUTULONG umano ang hakbang ng Department of Agriculture (DA) na mag-angkat ng 450,000 metriko tonelada ng asukal upang mabawasan ang inflation rate o ang bilis ng pagtaas ng presyo ng mga bilihin.

Sa isang press briefing ng Malacañang, sinabi ni DA Senior Undersecretary Domingo Panganiban na ang pag-angkat ng asukal ay alinsunod sa direktiba ni Pangulong Ferdinand R. Marcos Jr. na agad na tugunan ang isyu ng suplay na nakakaapekto sa inflation rate.

“In response to the directive of the President to address inflation and create a buffer stock and given that sugar as one of the components of most commodities that drives the consistently high inflation rate, I acted with haste and interpreted the memorandum issued by the Office of the Executive Secretary as an approval to proceed with the importation,” sabi ni Panganiban.

“With the urgency of the situation, I instructed three capable and accredited companies to proceed with the importation of sugar, provided that they agree to reduce the prices of sugar, sell the commodity in a price that is commercially acceptable in the market, and that they will shoulder the cost of warehousing,” paliwanag pa ng Undersecretary.

Sa isang memorandum mula sa Office of the Executive Secretary, inatasan ang DA na ipatupad ang mga rekomendasyong ibinigay nito sa Pangulo na siya ring tumatayong kalihim ng DA.

Ayon sa memorandum, nasa 100,000 metriko tonelada ng asukal ang otomatikong ikaklasipika bilang ‘B’ o Domestic Sugar samantalang ang 350 metriko tonelada ay para sa lokal na merkado.

“Relative thereto, the DA is hereby directed to implement the above mentioned recommendations, to ensure adequate supply of sugar in domestic markets, reduce prices and manage inflation, subject to compliance with Republic Act No. 10659 or the ‘Sugarcane Industry Development Act of 2015’, its Implementing Rules and Regulations, and other relevant laws, rules and regulations,” sabi sa memorandum.

Sinabi ni Panganiban na pumili ito ng tatlong sugar importer mula sa listahan na ibinigay sa kanya at ang kanyang pinili ay ang mga may kakayanan na gawin ito.

Alam umano ng Pangulo ng dumating ang inangkat na asukal noong Pebrero 9.