LAST week, President Ferdinand 'Bongbong' Marcos Jr. gave the go-signal to import an additional 64,050 metric tons (MT) of sugar under our minimum access volume (MAV) in-quota of the World Trade Organization. This was on top of the 150,000 MT that was approved last September.

Recall that before this, former undersecretary Leocadio Sebastian of the Department of Agriculture (DA) already recommended the importation of 300,000 MT, which the Sugar Regulatory Administration (SRA) board approved, to ease the sugar supply shortage and tame rising sugar prices. Ironically, instead of supporting this move to ease the pain of millions of consumers and food processors, Malacañang adjudged that Sebastian acted outside the bounce of his authority and relieved him of his official duties.