MANILA – Senator Francis “Kiko” Pangilinan met with Executive Secretary Ralph Recto on January 28 to present a situationer on the country’s sugar industry, highlighting challenges faced by farmers, mill workers, and consumers, and proposing policy measures to ensure sector stability.

During the discussion, Pangilinan, chair of the Senate Committee on Agriculture, Food, and Agrarian Reform, raised concerns including high production costs, declining farm incomes, supply volatility, and the long-term effects of importation policies on local producers.

“The sugar industry deserves a transparent and balanced policy and strategy that protects not just the industry but also the workers who keep it alive—our farmers,” Pangilinan said. “Solutions must be fair, evidence-based, and responsive to realities on the ground.”

The meeting followed a public consultation held in Talisay City, Negros Occidental, where Pangilinan engaged with the House of Representatives and sugar planters to assess pressing issues, noting the industry’s critical role in supporting hundreds of thousands of Filipino families and contributing to food security and rural development.

Executive Secretary Recto assured the senator that the sugar industry is a priority under President Ferdinand “Bongbong” Marcos Jr. and that the concerns raised would be reviewed and forwarded to relevant agencies for policy consideration. He emphasized the importance of coordination between executive and legislative branches and continuous dialogue with farmers, millers, and other stakeholders.

Pangilinan, who campaigned under the slogan “Walang Kulay ang Gutom,” pledged to continue working with both government branches and across political lines to pursue reforms aimed at making the sugar industry more resilient, competitive, and sustainable.

According to Sugar Regulatory Administration (SRA) reports as of January 2026, operating raw sugar mills fell from 28 in 2018 to 25 in 2025, with 13 located mainly in Negros Island. Sugar refineries declined from 13 to 10, with only five capable of producing premium-grade refined sugar. Pangilinan also noted the decline in farmgate prices, which dropped to P2,150–P2,300 per 50-kg bag last year, below the current production cost of P2,500.