Whereas, it is to the best interest of the Philippines to fill up the 2nd, 3rd, and 4th Quarters of the U.S. sugar Quota allocation for the Quota Year 1997-98 on time or within schedule;

Whereas, it is estimated that the volume of available "A" or U.S. Quota Sugar eligible for export prescribed by Sugar Order Nos. 2, and 2-B, Series of 1997-98, shall be enough to start the filing up of the 2nd, 3rd & 4th Quarters of the U.S. Sugar Quota allocation for quota Year 1997-98;

Now, Therefore, under and by virtue of the authority vested in the Sugar Regulatory Administration (SRA), it is hereby ordered that:

SECTION 1. Sugar Exporters with "A" or U.S. Quota Sugar Quedan-Permit issued during the current Crop Year 1997-98 (corresponding to unshipped old crop "A" sugar) may now submit the aforesaid quedan-permits to the SRA for processing to fill up the 2nd, 3rd & 4th Quarters of the U.S. Sugar Quota allocation for Quota Year 1997-98.

The "A" Quedan-Permits when submitted to the SRA for processing shall be charged with an Export Clearance Fee in the amount of P9.00/M.T. (P .045 L Kg-Bag).

SECTION 2. The Second Quarter allocation and the remaining quarters shall be allocated among sugar exporters on a "First-Come, First-Served" basis.

However, sugar exporters who were given their 1st Quarter allocations through the use of the "B" or Domestic sugar as advance swapped "A" or U.S. Sugar Quota, pursuant to Sugar Order No. 2-A, Series of 1997-98, but failed to meet the shipping deadline contained in Section 5 of said Sugar Order No. 2-A, shall have to replenish first the exported "B" sugar with the corresponding "A" sugar, before they can be eligible to apply for the 2nd or succeeding quarter allocations.

In case, the aforesaid exporters have only replenished a fraction thereof, the volume of "A" sugar they can apply for the 2nd or succeeding quarters shall be to the extent of the volume of their to-date replenishment

In the event an exporter shall have sold his verified "A" Quedan Permits to another party, the allocation of the said exporter is deemed cancelled, in which-case, the said "A" quedan-permits shall be subject to verification again by the SRA for allocation on a first-come, first served' basis.

SECTION 3. The SRA shall officially announce in a Circular Letter the list of sugar exporters with allocations by quarter, e.g. Second Quarter, immediately after having verified a total volume of 36,477 Metric Tons Commercial Weights of "A" or U.S. Quota Sugar, the sugar allocation for each quarter.

SECTION 4. The "A" or U.S. Quota Sugar to fill up the Second Quarter and the succeeding-quarters for Quota Year 1997-98 should be of good quality and preferably near the Bulk Terminals/Loading Ports.

SECTION 5. All forms and/or documents relevant to export of sugar to U.S. market as prescribed in Circular Letter No. 44, Series of 1995-96, shall remain in force.

SECTION 6. This Sugar Order shall take effect immediately.

SECTION 7. Provisions of Sugar Orders, Circular Letters, and/or rules and regulations contrary to or inconsistent with this Sugar Order, are hereby amended, modified or revoked accordingly.

Adopted: 18 Dec. 1998

(SGD.) MICHAEL K. SUAREZ
Administrator