New industry prospect draws hundreds to Cebu

More than a thousand sugarmen were drawn to the 53rd annual convention of the Philippines Sugar Technologists in Cebu City. The main lure is the prospect of the birth of an entirely new industry that will complement the already thriving sugar industry.

That’s the reason for the choice of the convention’s new theme: "Harnessing the Potentials of the Sugarcane Industry." Everybody virtually acknowledges the shift of sugarcane from a food commodity to a source of energy.

We have reached the age when we get energy not from the bowels of the earth but from sustainable sources such as sugarcane.

The magic key to the dawning of this new era is the Senate’s approval of the National Biofuel Program.

With the jitters brought about by escalating oil prices in the world market, bio-ethanol production has picked up in many countries. It is now the major export product of Brazil and more countries are joining the rush to become an ethanol manufacturer.

Ironically, the Philippines, a pioneer in this endeavor like Brazil, was left behind because of the failure by the Alcogas venture during the martial law years and because Congress had been mired in political imbroglio.

Thus, we have to catch up. Still, there is excitement in the air. The Senate has promised to tackle the bill as a priority measure. That’s all that is lacking for bioethanol production to take off as a new industry that would provide hundreds of thousands of Filipinos with jobs.

Sugarcane’s transition from a food commodity to an energy source was the highlight of the invitation of Ms. Lindsay Jolly, senior economist of the International Sugar Organization and the speaker on the topic "Sugar and Ethanol Strategic Drivers."

In the past, the Philsutech convention focuses on modern farming methods, new sugarcane varieties, increased productivity and the domestic price of sugar.

Of late, however, world sugar prices paralleled the price of oil largely because of ethanol. The recent trend for flexi-cars also stimulated sugar prices as more sugarcane leaders are putting up more ethanol distilleries in countries such as Brazil, the United States, and India. Even the Europe Union has joined the fun with more motorists mixing ethanol with gasoline.

The local drawback has been the absence of a law that mandates the use of ethanol-gas mixes and the lack of incentives for investors. Many of these investments are just waiting for the bill to be approved.

President Arroyo, however, has cancelled her keynote address, which presumably would have also focused on ethanol.

The top leaders of the sugarcane industry, led by the Philippine Sugar Alliance, will be there in full force for sure.

Fernando Varua will head the Philippines Sugar Miller Association, and Timoteo Consing the Association of Independent Millers. The four heads of sugar federations and sugar farmers will also be there — Reynaldo Bantug of the Confederation of Sugar Producers’ Associations (CONFED); Enrique Rojas of the National Federation of Sugar Planters (NFSP); Francis Trenas of the Panay Federation; and Manuel Lamata of UNITED.

It is not only ethanol that is the subject of talks though. There is also the parallel drive to plant jatropha, whose seeds produce oil for biofuel. The talk of the town now is discovery of a local variety which is said to be better than the variety planted in India, the principal producer of jatropha for biofuel.

Big investors have reportedly been coming in from Korea, Japan, and the United Kingdom, armed with studies on how they can take advantage of this pioneer venture in bioethanol and jatropha manufacturing.

We just hope that these giant expectations will not be stymied by untoward incidents. Definitely there is the pervasive excitement in entering a new energy age.

Planters’ president convicted

Amid the excitement over ethanol and jatropha, there was the stunning news about the sentencing for estafa of the president and manager of the United Sagay, Escalante, Toboso Planters’ Association Inc. by the Cadiz Regional Trial Court.

RTC Judge Ronato Munez found Manuel Belmonte Consing guilty beyond reasonable doubt of estafa and sentenced him to eight to 15 years in prison. He was also ordered committed immediately to the National Penitentiary.

Nelly Ballesteros Reyes, the association’s cashier and Consing’s co-accused, was acquitted due to insufficient evidence.

Gamboa Hermanos Inc. of San Carlos City claimed that Consing had defrauded them of P544,825.60 worth of B or domestic sugar.

The judge ruled that the prosecution established through clear and competent evidence that the sugar quedans had delivered to USETDAI sugar that would be sold to the National Food Authority, with the duty to remit the proceeds to Gamboa Hermanos.

But instead of remitting the amount to Gamboa Hermanos, Consing reportedly misappropriated portions of it for his own benefit. The court quoted Consing as saying that he could no longer account for the total proceeds.

For Negros Occidental, where sugarmen had always been looked up to, that was certainly a major story, especially as the court also ordered Consing to be immediately remanded to the New Bilibid Prisons in Muntinlupa.

ADDENDA. Police are verifying the report that teener Marvin Lance Ortiz, whose car hit the motorcycle of St. Scholastic Academy and St. Joseph High School teacher Augusto de Leon has gone missing. De Leon died last July 21 after he was hit by Ortiz, who was reportedly drag-racing with 19-year-old Lorenzo Suatingco along Lacson street.

Bacolod police chief Pedro Merced said he is verifying with the Bureau of Immigration whether the report is true that Ortiz has fled abroad.