After years of appeal and 15 letters to President Benigno Aquino, the Dacongcogon Sugar Mill is yet to receive any answer from the government.

Numerous letters and invitations were also coursed through Vice-President Jejomar Binay, the governor, Bishop Vicente Navarra, local politicians, military officers and even the undersecretary and Secretary Teresita Deles of the Office of the Presidential Adviser on Peace Process , but still no response.

This was disclosed by Rolando Parpa, Dacongcogon Farmers Producers Cooperative Chairman, in a press conference in Bacolod City yesterday.

In his letter to the President dated August 1, 2014, Parpa said he reiterated his appeal for the restoration of the Dacongcogon sugar mill in Brgy. Tabugon, Kabankalan City. He said the closure of the mill was a setback to the progress of the place and its neighboring towns and cities where sugarcane is the main crop.

He said the closure made the government a victim also is it created bad debts for farmers who got loans from the Land Bank to invest in their crops. The high costs of hauling canes from distant mills drained the farmers of their production proceeds, thus, they were not able to pay the bank, he added.

Parpa said one letter landed in the office of Executive Secretary Paquito Ochoa who referred it to the Department of Agriculture that in turn, referred it to the Philippine Sugar Corporation. He said PHILSUCOR denied it as it did not want to finance the restoration of the mill despite the fact that PD 1890 ordered it to operate, lease, acquire and manage sugar mills.

He said he learned from the website of PHILSUCOR that it has P3 billion in funds. The appeal went back to Malacañang and they have not heard anything since.

Parpa also said the sugar mill had been the backbone of the 10,000 people of Dacongcogon and the surrounding towns and city for 40 years.

He added that the government has enough resources to create projects for the poor. The rehabilitation of the mill will only cost the government P110 million to run it and revive the livelihood of the people.

Parpa also said the restoration of the mill and the livelihood of the people will be the parameters for peace talks between the rebels and the government.*MNM

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