Feedback
can
change political bets
Sometimes, drumbeaters end up as the political candidate against
their better judgment.
It may sound queer, but the telephoned perceptions to Franklin
Villanueva yesterday morning showed that many of the callers were
favoring the choice of City Legal Officer Allan Zamora over Mayor
Evelio Leonardia. "Political will" was the value that touched the
listeners or the audience. And there were others who pointed out
that the administration party be changed to Zamora, Lyndon Caņa,
and Vice Mayor Renecito Novero for congressman.
As I pointed out earlier, these are just among the surprising
feedback from the audiences of radio and television programs. In
short, what is happening here shows that when drumbeaters are given
most of the time for a show, they could end up upending the ones
they are supposed to be marketing.
***
There have been questions about the "A" sugar which hit 130,322
metric tons with 29,782 mts verified.
Anyway, the more important is that M/V Lake Joy will sail for
the US East Coast on Feb. 23 with a 25,000 mts load of raw sugar.
Their next will be the 25,000 mts additional on board the
M/V TBN. This is expected to arrive on March 21 and will immediately
take on the cargo for the US.
The final shipment of the RP share of the US sugar quota will
be on April 10. The M/V Baltic Frontier will load 24,000 mts of
raw sugar, according to Administrator James Ledesma.
Meanwhile, local sugar leaders have their eyes focused on the
agreement between Brazil and the US for ethanol shipment to the
US signed by President George Bush last week.
This followed the call by Bush for the renewal of the sugar
program. Democratic control of both houses of Congress assures support
for the sugar program.
What is interesting is that demand for ethanol in the US has
gone up. This is reportedly because the government wants to extricate
itself from complete dependence on fossil fuel from outside.
There is also the need to uphold the Kyoto Protocol in the
face of mounting evidence of climate change brought about by pollution.
Thus, with US ethanol production sharply rising, the problem
is that its ethanol comes mostly from corn. Thus, the result has
been the increase of corn price to $4 per bushel. That also triggered
a sharp increase in the prices of high fructose corn syrup to 21
cents from the previous 12 cents per pound.
The reason for this is that HFCS became more needed for ethanol
production. Correspondingly, this also stopped the movement of Mexican
sugar to the US market. Expensive HFCS for soft drinks spurred demand
for sugar boosting domestic prices.
Well, anyway, the more important consideration is how the demand
for ethanol will affect our sugar export to the US?
And, yes, the most important, what are our chances of being
able later on to export ethanol to the US when the flexicars become
so numerous that demand for the fuel sharply increase?
I chanced upon James Ledesma, the Sugar Regulatory Administrator,
Mike Hinojales and another sugarman plus Luis Tongoy, vice chairman
of the Confed Negros-Panay chapter, engaged yesterday in studying
the details of the prospective ethanol problems various twists and
traps.
I will tackle later some questions about the tariff rate quota
and the consequences of the full implementation of the NAFTA provisions
on sugar by the first of January, next year.
***
The Batangas gubernatorial race have suddenly become a national
story. The TV audiences all over have been riveted to the final
decision by Lipa City Mayor Vilma Santos-Recto on whether she will
finally decided to run against her brother-in-law, vice governor
Ricky Recto and incumbent governor Armand Sanchez. Well, that finally
landed in the front pages of the dailies. A local contest that has
ended up as an eye-riveting event.
***
Negros Occidental Governor Joseph Maraņon deserves congratulations
for his candid admission that he will try but cannot guarantee a
12-0 sweep of the senatorial contest by the Team Unity ticket.
Very rarely will a politician admit that he cannot guarantee
being able to convince his constituents to abide with his request.
But Maraņon admitted frankly that the people will decide for themselves
whether they will agree with him or not.
Among the strongest contenders in Negros are Rep. Miguel Zubiri,
Sen. John Osmeņa, Sen. Kiko Pangilinan, and Sen. Ralph Recto. Senator
Ping Lacson also enjoys a big local following. So with Senator Manuel
Villar, who is partly Ilonggo. Of course, Senator Loren Legarda
is automatically remembered by a lot of Negrenses.*
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