THE councilors of Bacolod City expressed their respective stands on the boycott being undertaken by sugar industry stakeholders against Coca-Cola products.
Bacolod City Councilor Caesar Distrito expressed its 100 percent support to the cry of the sugar industry players against Coca Cola. He said he is even practicing the boycott of Coke products until the beverage company buys Negros-produced sugar, stop its importation of premix sugar and compensate those affected especially the workers. “I cannot imagine any Negrosanon not to be sympathetic to this cause, as this is our economic backbone. It is not a question about profit or cost efficiency, but a question of following the law. Their act is a slap to all of us,” declared Distrito. Meanwhile, City Councilor Sonya Verdeflor said that the boycott will not result to industrial peace. “Both sectors represent the lives and the future of thousands of our people, thus hurting either one of them could have adverse effects at a level that we might not be able to control. The best solution would still be for the major stakeholders to go back to negotiating table,” Verdeflor said. On the other hand, Councilor El Cid Familiaran said that, in fair competition, one can’t impose or dictate the public to patronize its products. “Just offer your customers the best and reasonable price,” he said. He believes that the sugarcane farmers and planters should direct their protest to President Aquino or to the Sugar Regulatory Administration (SRA) and ask them not to allow the entry of premix sugar in the market. For his part, Councilor Carl Lopez said that the authorities should investigate the accusations and take immediate action. The call for boycott of Coca Cola products stemmed from the alleged non-purchase by Coke of the locally produced sugar. Instead, the beverage company imported premix sugar, which was later found to contain more than 99 percent sugar. In a related development, Confed director Jose Luis Tonggoy wondered if Coca-Cola buys and uses premixes because it is cheaper than the sugar produced locally. "Why is it that the cost of its products is not cheap?" "An eight-ounce Coke has 27 grams of sugar and the cost of sugar per gram is four-centavos or P1.08 per one bottle of Coke. Why is it that they sell their products at a high cost, considering that it incurred much savings in using premix sugar?” Tongoy asked. Coca Cola started buying premix sugar in 2010 with the issuance of Executive Order No. 850, which allows entry of premix sugar tariff free. Carla N. Canet Sun Star Bacolod
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