Sugar Regulatory Administration chief Ma. Regina Bautista-Martin yesterday said Coca-Cola’s premix sugar has been classified as “C” or reserve sugar to prevent its release domestically while a hearing is being conducted by the Bureau of Customs on its status.

Coca-Cola’s premix imports since January have reached 24,000 metric tons that on testing were found to be more than 99.5 percent sugar with the remaining amount being flavoring and or coloring, SRA findings show.

The SRA wants Customs to classify the Coke premix imports as sugar that should be subjected to a 38 percent tariff, and not as premixes that can enter the country at zero tariff, Martin said.

Gov. Alfredo Marañon Jr. yesterday said he is pushing for the construction of a bridge that will connect Negros Occidental to Iloilo and has included it in the agenda of the next Western Visayas Regional Development Council meeting on June 30.

The governor said he is asking the RDC to request the Japan International Cooperation Agency to conduct a project study for the construction of a bridge that will connect Barangay Tomongtong, EB Magalona in Negros Occidental to Banate town in Iloilo City.

The study is needed to proceed with the project, he said.

The Bacolod Sangguniang Panlungsod has passed a resolution requesting the Energy Regulatory Commission to make Central Negros Electric Cooperative explain its recent power rate increases, Councillor Archie Baribar said yesterday.

Baribar, chairman of the SP Committee on Communications and Energy, said they will also hold a conference with the representatives of CENECO and ERC on the issue.

If the City Council is not satisfied with their explanation, it will coordinate with other cities and municipalities under the CENECO coverage area to come up with a position paper against the power rate increases.