SRA clarifies issues re sugar quota allocation

This is to clarify issues raised in Ramon Tulfo’s column titled “An impossible dream?” (Metro, 2/16/16), pertaining to sugar quota allocation for the United States.

Kindly be advised that per records of the Sugar Regulatory Administration (SRA), ED&F Man has satisfied the requirements under Sugar Order No. 4, Series 2015-2016 [Filling Up the United States Sugar Quota and Export Replacement Program for Crop Year 2015-2016], since it has met the “First Come-First Served” rule in the filing for application for export to the US Sugar Quota (Section 4.1, in relation to Section 7 of SO 4).

Having complied with the requirement for “vessel presentation” (Section 4.1 of SO 4) which, for purposes of allocation, is the actual arrival of the vessel at harbor based on the Philippine Ports Authority’s records, the issuance of the allocation—not only to ED&F Man but also to the other participating exporters—is aboveboard and is in accordance with the sugar order cited earlier.

May this simple explanation help shed light on the matter.

—MA. REGINA BAUTISTA MARTIN, administrator, Sugar Regulatory Administration, Diliman, Quezon City