LABOR groups in Negros Occidental Wednesday, April 19, said their declaration of Agriculture Secretary Emmanuel Piñol as “persona non grata” remains despite the apology made by the Sugar Alliance of the Philippines (SAP) to the Cabinet official.
“Persona non grata” is a Latin for a person who is unacceptable or unwelcome.
SAP spokesperson Emilio Yulo, a former vice governor of Negros Occidental, personally apologized to Piñol during the joint committee hearing of the Senate committees on agriculture, and trade, commerce and entrepreneurship on the impact of the rising importation of high fructose corn syrup (HFCS) Monday.
Yulo said the Agriculture chief has been the subject of harsh words during the indignation rally held in front of the Coca-Cola Femsa Philippines bottling plant in Bacolod City last March 19.
Some 6,000 protesters slammed Piñol for allegedly taking side with Coke, calling him “anti-worker, anti-people, anti-poor and corrupt thus, he does not deserve to stay in the position.”
“We hope you would understand where we are coming from,” Yulo told Piñol, who then expressed support to the head of the Department of Agriculture (DA) in the implementation of development programs for farmers.
Senator Juan Miguel Zubiri, chairman of committee on trade, commerce and entrepreneurship, who once called Piñol “misinformed” on the HFCS issue, then called on the delegations from Negros Occidental to withdraw the “persona non grata” declaration.
Citing the assurance of Piñol to support sugar farmers by recognizing Sugar Order No. 3 providing the regulation of HFCS importation, Zubiri appealed to Negrenses to stop criticizing the Cabinet official.
“This is the start of new beginnings,” the senator said, adding that “the DA Secretary should be the father of all farmers, not only rice, but sugar as well.”
Wennie Sancho, secretary-general of the General Alliance of Workers Association, said to successfully settle the crucial issue on HFCS importation and for the sake of industrial peace and compliance, the labor group considered lifting the “persona non grata” declaration.
Sancho, also the lead convener of the Save the Sugar Industry Movement (Save-SIM), said the move is also in compliance with the request of Zubiri and upon hearing Piñol at the hearing that he will fully support the sugar industry.
Gawa, along with the National Congress of the Unions in the Sugar Industry of the Philippines-Trade Union Congress of the Philippines (Nacusip-TUCP), and Sanlakas Negros signed the resolution declaring Piñol a “persona non grata” sparked by the latter’s remark that they are “well-funded demonstrators.”
“There will only be an absolute lifting of the declaration if Piñol proves that he is true to his commitment of helping farmers by convincing Coca-Cola to cease and desist from the importation of HFCS,” Sancho said.
Hernane Braza, of the Philippine Agricultural, Commercial and Industrial Workers Union (Paciwu)-TUCP, said “the Senate hearing has opened the reconciliation among the sugar industry stakeholders.”
The group hopes that the creation of the Sugar Stakeholders Consultative Council being pushed by Piñol will be realized immediately to further help solve pressing issues in the industry, Braza added.
Piñol, meanwhile, said he was hurt but has no ill feelings towards Negrense sugar producers and farmers.
Piñol said he believes in negotiations, and that beverage firms, like Coca-Cola, are also the country’s “sugar customers” thus, they also have to be treated fairly.
“I will die for farmers thus, it is unfair for me to be treated as protector of Coke,” he said, adding that the groups should “prove to me that I have any stain of corruption then I will resign.”
Ask about coming to Negros Occidental and talk to the farmers personally, Piñol replied: “I have explained my side. I don’t need to beg, and as secretary of the Agriculture Department it is incumbent for me to move around the country.”
Commitments
During the Senate hearing, Coca-Cola executives said the company is expanding its bottling operations in Bacolod.
Lawyer Adel Tamano, director of public affairs and communications of Coca-Cola Philippines, said they are adding a new production line amounting to US$17 million.
“We hope that these commitments adequately represent not only the organization’s long-standing endeavor to take part in Philippine nation-building and fulfill our role as key partner in country’s economic development,” Tamano added.
For his part, Yulo said: “That is good but I don’t think Bacolod would be happy with that investment over the P25 billion in both revenues and opportunity losses incurred by the sugar and other related industries.”
