Soda makers have appealed for another round of importation of 150,000 MT (460,000 MT yearly) of premium refined sugar for their use in 2023 needed to produce carbonated drinks. The beverage makers Coca Cola Beverages Philippines (CCBPI), Pepsi Cola Products Philippines and ARC Refreshments Corporation, jointly announced their concerns, in the form of an added sugar importation proposal to the Sugar Regulatory Administration (SRA).

The SRA referred the soda makers request to the Confederation of Sugar Producers Association Inc. (Confed) and the National Federation of Sugarcane Planters (NFSP) for comments on the sugar importation proposal. Later, the SRA solicited comments on the same proposal from the Panay Federation of Sugarcane Farmers Inc. (PANAYFED). The three federations, forming 50 percent of the country’s domestic sugar production, submitted the following comments. Thus:

– Confed asked the soft drinks industry to provide their pre-final crop estimate and demand projection calendar year 2022-2023, their specific monthly volume requirements from January to August 2023 and their proposed volume and schedule of arrival of imports;
– NFSP sought for the industry’s latest figures on the current supply and demand situation.
Both Confed and NFSP were quoted saying that (they are not against importation since they supported the issuance of Sugar Order 4 (for the importation of 300,000 MT of sugar in August 2022), which was cancelled since it was not authorized by PBBM. Further, the federation also “urged SRA to ensure that the premium refined sugar imports sought by the soda makers are actually used for their intended requirements and do not leak into the retail markets.”

MY COMMENT:
Noticeable is cautious actions by the SRA management and the sugarcane planters federation in handling the issue on sugar, more so, on its appurtenant talks on importing the commodity – lesson learned from last year’s fiasco!

Also, federations prompt comments on the proposed added importation of premium refined sugar needed in carbonated-drinks production, is well taken. Both Confed and NFSP (as well as PANAYFED) deserve to be congratulated for handling the proposed additional importation of premium refined to keep alive the top taxpayer soda makers.
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More than the pull of greener pastures on foreign soil is the push of poverty on our country that has long taken the national policy of exporting our human resources. We are not mere helpless witnesses but the affected lot that bear the consequences of our labor force migrating to foreign shores. There too are our seafarers whose lives on the vast seas are on round-the-clock danger as the faces the perils of the seas. We have our medical and health workers, from caregivers, nurses, medical technologists and doctors attending to sick people in various places except our own. As if the brain-drain is not enough, the lack of government support to our athletes had likewise pushed them to seek better gainful employment.

To carry the country’s flag in world competitions and on the international sports arena is a dream of every athlete. Just to be selected as part of the national team is truly a great honor that an athlete could share with one’s family, community and country. The tale of such rare experience would last a lifetime and beyond, to be told and retold by the present and future generations. One’s exploits and victories in the chosen field of sports discipline is a treasure to serve as inspiration and worthy of emulation by the younger generation. Indeed, the invaluable chance of a lifetime to represent the country is the fulfillment of an athlete’s dream.

It is why the virtues of nationalism and patriotism get derided when we helplessly watch our athletes march into foreign shores and eventually carry that country’s flag not because our athlete lost the love of country, nationalism and patriotism but for the pragmatic move to earn better financial support as he competes in world and international competitions. We have the likes of the child chess prodigy Wesley So migrating to the United States of America where he could get ample support for his campaigns in various world and international chess tournaments. While he still carries his Filipino nationality, every victory he earns under the American flag would just be a claim as an honor for our race.

The recent exodus of our athletes came from the country’s national pastime of basketball. It may have escaped notice from the public eye of this basketball republic, but many of our cream of the crop of basketball players from the amateur ranks had taken what appears as the best route to international basketball courts. Already, priced players from the inter-collegiate leagues like Clark Tamayo who is playing for the Dragonflies Kings and Kai Sotto who is playing for the Adelaide 36ers, both in the first professional league in Japan. Both players are making waves in that league and their stint may just attract more Filipino basketball players who could no longer be accommodated in the star-studded roster of the first play-for-pay professional basketball league in Asia, our prestigious Philippine Basketball Association.

THAT’S what we can learn from that parable about a servant whose debt with his master was forgiven but could not forgive the debt of his fellow servant. (cfr. Mt 18,21-35)
The parable was said because St. Peter asked Christ how many times one should forgive his neighbor. He was trying to be magnanimous when he asked if one should forgive his neighbor 7 times, which in the culture of that time meant many. Christ corrected him by saying, not only 7 times, but 70 times 7, which means always.

In that parable, the master clearly told the servant who could not forgive the debt of his fellow servant that he should forgive the debt of his fellow servant as he himself, the master, forgave servant’s debt.

“You wicked servant,” the master told the servant. “I forgave you your entire debt because you begged me to. Should you not have had pity on your fellow servant, as I had pity on you?”

Again, we have to remember that since we have been created in God’s image and likeness, we should try our best to be like God who has fully manifested himself in Christ. How God is, how Christ is, should also be how we should be. In short, we can only have that forgiving heart if we truly identify with Christ.

That surely would require grace which is actually abundantly and gratuitously given. But that grace requires our human cooperation. We need to develop in ourselves, no matter difficult the challenge is, the appropriate attitude and virtues for this purpose.
We have to learn how to be always forgiving. Yes, the requirements of justice also have to be met, but forgiveness should always be given even while the requirements of justice still have to be processed.

One may ask: why should that be? Why should forgiveness be given even if the cause of justice is not yet resolved? The answer can only be seen when we consider who we really are. We are men and women, made in the image and likeness of God. Regardless of how we are, whether sinner or saint, that basic dignity of man cannot be erased.
This dignity of man is alluded to in one of the psalms: “What is mankind that you are mindful of them, human beings that you care for them? You have made them a little lower than the angels and crowned them with glory and honor. You made them rulers over the works of your hands; you put everything under their feet…” (Ps 8,4-6).

Yes, we have the dignity of being children of God, and not just one more creature of his. No matter how much we misbehave, God, being a father, will do everything to bring us back to him. And that’s what Christ precisely did for us. He even went to offer his life on the cross, offering forgiveness to those who crucified him.

God cannot forget and abandon us just because of our sins. “Can a mother forget the baby at her breast and have no compassion on the child she has borne? Though she may forget, I will not forget you!” (Is 49,15).

Indeed, God will do everything to bring us back to him. And it’s up to us to show at least some signs of repentance for our sins and to accept the eternal mercy of God. If we do the same to one another, we obviously would make ourselves like God as we ought to be!