Millgate sugar prices inching up

Domestic sugar millgate prices inch their way toward the P1,100 per Lkg. mark over the weekend. That brought grins to the faces of sugar producers. And the prognosis is that the tightness of sugar supply may drive prices higher this coming Thursday.

The highest posted price of B sugar was that of the Independent Sagay-Escalante Planters association which sold its domestic stock for P1,009 per Lkg. ISEPI-MPC also sold its A sugar at P1,055 per Lkg.

The Negros Oriental Planters Association of Bais Central disposed of its domestic sugar at P1,098.57 per Lkg. slightly lower than the P1,099 of the Independent Sagay-Escalante Planter Association. But its A (US quota) sugar fetched only P1,051.75.

NOPA producers, milling with Ursumco, managed to hold on to their A sugar which they disposed of at P1,051.89. Its domestic sugar, however, fetched only P1,090 per Lkg.

Victorias Manapla Cadiz cooperative also managed to disposed of its domestic stocks at P1,097. Its A stocks was scooped up for P1,061.

Domestic sugar prices also hit P1,085.82 per Lkg. at the Hawaiian-Philippines mill district. Both the Asociacion de Hacenderos de Silay-Saravia Inc. and the Associated Planters of Silay-Saravia sold their A sugar at the same levels - P1,098.92.

La Carlota, on the other hand, sold its US sugar at P1,093.93 per Lkg. but managed to bid out its domestic sugar stocks at P1,070.82 per Lkg.

With supply perceived to be tightening despite the release of part of the C or reserved sugar, market forces took over the pricing of domestic sugar.

Next week may see additional increases in millgate prices as traders scramble for the dwindling sugar stocks.

In the world market, sugar prices inched higher. Some analysts predict that it could reach as much as 16 cents per pound by March or later this year.

The International Sugar Organization predicted a shortfall of one million metric tons of sugar.

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I don't blame Senior Supt. Pedro Merced for taking as a direct challenge the hold-up by three motorcycle-riding armed men of a cashier and driver of the Sargaso Construction and Development Corp. along Burgos Street, Brgy. 18, Thursday.

It seems that Merced is now being presented a crime wave that surge up just this week. The police chief must be having a lot of headaches now after the euphoria of his takeover of the city police's helm and his recent promotion to full colonel.

Earlier, robbers also stole the safety deposit box of the Pizza Hut at Robinsons Place. That, too, shows that robbers may no longer fear early apprehension by the police.

And Merced is facing a major challenge in tracking down that member of the so-called "Bonnet Gang." What makes it intriguing is that the suspect, whose cartographic sketch had been furnished media, reportedly seems to have been a college student and, possibly, a member of an affluent Negrense family from the North.

So, said the police.

But what makes these cases alarming is that two of these crimes were pulled at the Robinsons area, one in front of the shopping mall. These are daring acts that could not have been committed had there been a visible police presence in the area.

Fielding Santa Claus-clad cops is not enough. What is needed is for the police to be around during these times. Especially at night.

What makes the thing alarming is that the police are supposed to have been equipped with Terrano vehicles and should be visible around. But I, myself, have seen these vehicles only once. That was yesterday along 6th Street. But it just whisked its way through the street. Very likely the cops would not have noticed a crime were it committed while they were passing through.

No, that's the way cops should patrol the streets. From time to time, they should step down their vehicle and look around for any possible violation of the law.

That's why I was wondering yesterday whether these car-riding cops had passed along North Drive, especially fronting the riverside Medical Center and San Agustin College. They could have immediately noticed that some of the jeeps lining the area were three-deep and blocking the flow of the traffic.

Unfortunately, there was no one around. Neither cops nor traffic aides.

And I was under the impression that Merced had vowed to address the problem of Bacolod's traffic were he given the chance to do things his own way.

Yet, from our vantage point, the situation has turned from bad to worse.

So, what gives?

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Councilor Al Victor Espino deserves applause for his insightful questioning about the Bacolod South East Asian Games Organizing Committee use of the city funds.

He is right. BASOC should settle all its unpaid accounts and not just keep the savings of one million in its marketing fund. And the problem. How come that Eric Loretizo, the secretary-general of the BASOC, until now has yet to furnish the receipts to back up the expenditure reports submitted for an accounting firm.

An external auditor does not undertake the accounting the city government needs to be able to determine the income and expenditure report of the city funds.

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Bacolod folks are on edge waiting for the opening of the Sunshine Channel 14, the Sunshine Channel operated and managed by the Prime Exponent Entertainment Network chaired by Primo Esleyer, the Negros Press Club president.

One of the most interesting programs will be the Espanol Para Todos by Gilda Puey Locsin.

Another exciting program will be Musically Yours by Bagguer and Cosette Villaluz.

Definitely, the Sunshine Cable is a thing that will attract the interest of Negrenses. Even before it could open up today, already it has become the talk of the town.*

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