The members of the Dacongcogon Farmers’-Producers’ Cooperative are asking the administration of President Benigno Aquino III to acquire and operate the sugar mill at Brgy. Tabugon, Kabankalan City, its chairman, Rolando Parpa, said yesterday.

The sugar mill was foreclosed by the Philippine National Bank after it was taken over and abandoned by Celso de los Angeles, Parpa said at a press conference yesterday at the Negros Press Club building.

He said they are appealing for support from the government to restore its operation because it is the best livelihood project for small farmers.

The Presidential Decree 1890 signed by then President Ferdinand Marcos in 1980 created the Philippine Sugar Corporation to provide rehabilitation, expansion, acquisition, and refineries related to sugar mill operations, he said.

However, PHILSUCOR denied their requests, saying that the sugar mill has no collateral and the project is no longer viable, he also said.

“We believe in this presidential decree and that President Aquino will execute and implement it for the sake of the small farmers,” Parpa said.

The group has also been sending communications to concerned department heads and to the Office of the President with attached copies signatures of its members, he said.

Though all of its letter requests were denied, Parpa said, he is hopeful that Aquino will act on it and will prove to the people that public-private partnership exist in his administration. *LTG

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