WHEREAS, it is the policy of the state to ensure adequate food supply at prices afford able to the ordinary Filipino;

WHEREAS, the estimated production of Philippine sugar for the current Crop Year 2000-2001 is expected to fall short of the domestic demand;

WHEREAS, there is a need to import sugar to address the expected tightness of supply in the domestic market brought about by the aforesaid shortfall in production and to ensure stable prices of sugar;

WHEREAS, the authority to Import a maximum volume of 300,000 metric tons for the year 2001 has been issued by the Office of the President subject to the preparation by the Sugar Regulatory Administration of the mechanics thereof to insure that everything is transparent and above board;

NOW, THEREFORE, by virtue of the authority vested in the Sugar Regulatory Administration (SRA), it is hereby ordered that:

SECTION 1. A maximum volume of 300,000 metric tons of sugar (raw and refined), may be imported for the current year 2001;

SECTION 2. The National Food Authority (NFA) shall import the Minimum Access Volume (MAV) of 54,087 metric tons of raw or refined sugar at fifty percent (50%) tariff, while the balance of 245, 913 metric tons (raw or refined) may be imported by the private sector outside of the Minimum Access Volume (Out-Quota) at the prevailing tariff rate of sixty five percent (65%);

The Out- Quota sugar importation of the private sector shall be allocated according to the subscriptions submitted by interested importers subject to the rules and regulations promulgated by the Sugar Regulatory Administration (SRA).

Subscriptions approved by SRA shall be subject to a performance bond of US$30 per metric ton to be submitted by the importers to SRA.  In case the aforesaid importers fail to bring in the required volume in its specified form within the inclusive date of their subscriptions, the performance bond shall be forfeited in favor of SRA.  Otherwise, SRA shall return the performance bond to the importers upon the arrival of the shipment provided the sugar importation is in compliance with all the requirements;

The importation of out-quota sugar by the private sector and the MAV (In-Quota) sugar by NFA is allowed a flexibility of plus or minus 5% of their approved subscriptions.

SECTION 3. The period of arrivals of the importation mentioned herein shall be from June to September, 2001.  Specific dates of arrival shall be indicated in the approval of the subscription by SRA.

SECTION 4. When applying for clearance upon the arrival of his approved shipment of imported sugar, the importer (including NFA) must show proof of payment of the following liens in Peso per Lkg-Bag:

	Raw Sugar	Refined Sugar
1. SRA Processing Fee	P5.50	P5.95
2. Sugar Industry Foundation, Inc.	P7.11	P7.69
3. Sugar Market Development Fund	P8.00	P8.65
4. Philsurin	P3.00	P3.24
TOTAL	P23.61	P25.53

SECTION 5. The importer shall pay to SRA the following liens for the account of the following beneficiaries:

1. SRA Processing Fee	Sugar Regulatory Administration
2. Sugar Industry Foundation, Inc.	Sugar industry Foundation, Inc.
3. Sugar Market Development Fund	Philippine Sugar Millers Association, as Trustee of the fund
4. Philsurin	Philippine Sugar Research Institute

SECTION 6. The volume of importation shall be classified by the SRA as "B" or domestic sugar upon payment of the liens enumerated herein. Otherwise, the imported sugar shall be "C" or Reserve sugar, in which case, it cannot be disposed of in the domestic market.

SECTION 7. Provisions of Sugar Order No. 8, Series of 2000-2001 and of other Sugar Orders, Circular Letters, rules and regulations inconsistent with or contrary to this Order are hereby revoked, amended or modified accordingly.

SECTION 8. This Order shall take effect immediately.

Adopted: 28 June 2001

(SGD.) JAMES C. LEDESMA
Administrator