Public consultations on the implementing rules and regulations of the Sugarcane Industry Development Act are set this month, Sugar Regulatory Administrator Ma. Regina Martin said yesterday.

The consultations will be held at the Sugar Regulatory Administration Social Hall in Quezon City today, at the SRA Bacolod Training Hall on May 14 ; and in Davao City on May 20 from 9 a.m. to 3 p.m.

The IRR consultations will be spearheaded by the SRA.

The Sugarcane Industry Development Act, authored by Rep. Alfredo Abelardo Benitez (Neg. Occ., 3rd District) in the Lower House, was signed into law by the President in March.

The law is aimed at strengthening the competitiveness and diversification efforts of the sugarcane industry, to survive the drop in tariffs on imports under the ASEAN Free Trade Area agreement that kicked off this year.

Under the bicameral committee ratified Sugarcane Act, P2 billion will be automatically included in the General Appropriations Act annually for the sugarcane industry, Senator Cynthia Villar, author of the measure in the Senate, said earlier.

Of the P2 billion, block farms of agrarian reform beneficiaries will be allocated 15 percent, socialized credit – 15 percent, farm mechanization – 15 percent, scholarships for sugar farm workers children – 5 percent and for infrastructure - 50 percent, she said.*CPG

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