Senator Francis “Chiz” Escudero yesterday re-affirmed his full-support to the Sugarcane Act, being proposed by Rep. Alfredo Benitez, for the survival of the sugar industry after 2015.

The proposed bill also aims to raise the value of sugarcane through the creation of integrated agro industrial economic zones that will not only produce sugar, but fuel, power and other by-products, to enable the industry to survive trade liberalization beyond 2015.

Escudero, who attended the Victorias City fiesta last night, also said that there is a need to review some of the provisions of the agrarian reform law, after the completion of its implementation.

Under the proposed bill, the creation of integrated agro-industrial economic zones for sugarcane is also being pushed, which also aimed at making sugar production more efficient.

Some landowners have expressed their reservations over the implementation of agrarian reform program, as the beneficiaries end up of selling a portion of land they have acquired, due to insufficient support from the government.

Benitez earlier said that Senator Juan Ponce Enrile has promised to support the passage of the counter Sugarcane Act bill in the Senate.

Under the ASEAN Free Trade Area agreement tariff on imported sugar entering the country dropped from 38 percent last year to 28 percent this year, according to the Sugar Regulatory Administration. It will further drop to 18 percent in 2013, 10 percent in 2014 and 5 percent in 2015.

Escudero, confirmed an offer of the United Nationalist Alliance to join them. He also said the Liberal Party hinted of adopting him in their senatorial line up.

Escudero resigned from the Nationalist People’s Coalition in 2009.

The filing of certificates of candidacy for the May 2103 election is scheduled on Oct. 1 to 5. * GPB

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