Rules strictly followed in grant of sugar export allocation

This is in reaction to Ramon Tulfo’s column on the US sugar export quota (“An impossible dream?” Metro, 2/16/16). We respectfully call attention to the following facts:

1. ED & F Man Philippines Inc. is a Philippine-registered company. It has been exporting sugar to the United States for the past 45 years.

2. The sugar export allocation was granted to ED & F Man Philippines Inc. strictly under the rules promulgated by the Sugar Regulatory Administration (SRA). These rules were established after consultation with the sugar industry and with the sugar exporters.

3. The main rule states that the quota allocations will be granted to exporters on a “first come-first served” basis based on vessel presentation. The rules further define vessel presentation to mean vessel arrival at the first load port.

4. The Philippines’ sugar quota to the United States of 135,508 metric tons could be shipped through five vessels.

5. ED & F Man’s vessels were second and fourth to arrive at their first load port—Pulupandan, Negros Occidental.

6. It is incorrect to say that ED & F Man did not have the ships and the sugar for loading. As a matter of fact, ED & F Man’s first vessel, the M/V Union Bienvenido, has already sailed for the United States.

7. As we write, ED & F Man’s other vessel M/V New Lead Castellano is in Pulupandan Port waiting to berth in two days and the sugar to be loaded is at the port warehouse.

We assure Tulfo, the Inquirer staff and the readers that ED & F Man Philippines Inc. was granted a sugar allocation for export to the United States in strict compliance with the rules set under Sugar Order No. 4 of the SRA.

We trust that this letter clarifies the issues mentioned in Tulfo’s column.

—ALEXANDRE JOHN A. VILLANUEVA, counsel, ED & F Man Philippines Inc.