Bacolod City – The call for Sugar Regulatory Administration head Herminigildo Serafica to step down from his post continues to snowball.
Three more sugar planters’ groups, composed of the Associacion de Agricultores de la Carlota y Pontevedra Inc. (AALCPI) and the La Carlota Mill District Multi-Purpose Cooperative (LCMDMPC) in Negros Occidental, as well as Luzonfed joined UNIFED, led by Manuel Lamata, called on Serafica to vacate his position in compliance with the order of President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. for all appointed officials to vacate their posts as stated in his Memorandum Order Number 1.
We are urging Mr. Serafica to follow the rule of law and allow President Marcos a free hand to have a clean slate and appoint his own team, a joint statement from the Associacion de Agricultores de la Carlota y Pontevedra Inc. (AALCPI) and the La Carlota Mill District Multi-Purpose Cooperative (LCMDMPC), said.
This is crucial, at this time, when we need a fresh start amidst the agricultural crisis we are in, they said.
The term of Serafica ended June 30. In the absence of a new appointment, Atty. Ignacio Santillana has been designated as officer-in-charge of SRA.
Memorandum Circular No. 1 declared certain positions in the departments, agencies and offices as well as bureaus of government vacant effective noon of June 30.
With the call for unity of President Marcos, AALCPI and LCMDMPC said that Serafica’s action to insist in remaining in his post will just cause more division in our industry.
If indeed Mr. Serafica has the best interest of the sugar industry in his heart, he must graciously leave the office and allow the new administration to appoint whom they believe is best suited for the position, the joint statement further said.
While they thanked him for service to SRA, “we appeal that he will not do further damage with his actuations,” they added.
In a statement, Luzon Federation President, Arnel Toreja echoed the calls of other planters’ federations for Serafica to “heed and respect the order of President Ferdinand Marcos Jr.”
“Tama na (enough), better for you (Serafica) to vacate,” Toreja said, adding that “for the sake of the unification, not only of the sugar industry but of our country, please step down.”
Toreja also raised alarms that Serafica might be after something “for why is he refusing to leave the office? Is this a question of interest or mere greed for power?”
He said their group is respecting and will take cue from OIC Atty. Ignacio Santillana as the rightful caretaker of SRA while awaiting the official appointment of the new administrator.
“Let us respect the order of the President. Let us give value to the agency for the sake of the sugar industry as a whole,” Toreja said.
Luzonfed accounts for 70 percent of sugar producers in Luzon, mostly situated in Batangas area and about nine percent of the total sugar production in the country.
Negros Occidental Vice Gov. Jeffrey Ferrer said they have recommended two individuals for President Marcos to select from as SRA head.
It’s now up to PBBM (President BongBong Marcos), Ferrer said. (Gilbert Bayoran via The Visayan Daily Star (TVDS), photo courtesy of TVDS)