The University of the Philippines-Los Baños Alumni Association-Negros Occ. Chapter will hold a Sugar Forum Sept. 14, at the Planta Centro Hotel in Bacolod City on the theme, “Meeting the Challenge of 2015”, a press release from the group said.

The forum will address the impending crisis on January 1, 2015 where the tariff on imported sugar would only be five percent and with the sugar produce from other countries have lower production cost compared to Philippine sugar, it will result in less demand for domestic sugar produced and further dampen sugar prices at the expense of local millers, planters, sugar workers and their families who are dependent on the industry, UPLBAA-NOC president Enrique Miguel Lacson, said in the press release.

Gov. Alfredo Marañon, Jr. will give the opening remarks at the forum that will be participated in by UPLB alumni, mill districts’ representatives and sugarcane planters associations and cooperatives, farmers, businessmen, government and non-government organizations.

Resource speakers at the forum will be Rep. Alfredo “Albee” Benitez (Third District – Negros Occ.) who will talk on the “Legislative Measures Being Undertaken by Congress to Meet the Challenge of 2015”.

Sugar Regulatory Administration’s Regina Bautista-Martin who will talk on the “Measures Being Undertaken by the SRA to Meet the Challenge of 2015”, will also be present.

Sugar Master Plan Foundation, Inc. Executive Director Felixberto Monasterio meanwhile, will talk on the “The Sugar Master Plan: How It Addresses the Challenge of 2015”, the press release said.

The event is open to teachers and students as well as the general public to share and exchange ideas on the topic.

For more information, the UPLBAA-NOC can be reached through telephone number (034) 7 02-9237, the press release added.*

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