The Confederation of Sugar Producers Association Inc. (Confed), the largest planters federation in the country, announced Tuesday, November 29, that it has two new member-planters associations this Crop Year 2022-2023.

The two new associations that affiliated with Confed are the Planter’s Association of Southern Negros Inc. (PASON) headed by its chairman emeritus Franklin G. Fuentebella, Robert Bernard M. Tan – chairman and Luis T. Garingalao – president, and the United Cadiz Sugarcane Planters Association Inc. (UCSPA) headed by Clarita Lilia “Claire” E. Lacson, a press release from Confed said.“We warmly welcome the two new members which joined Confed at the start of my term as federation president,” said Confed president Aurelio “Bodie” Valderrama.

“This manifests our openness towards all industry stakeholders, in line with our call for unity among all diverse stakeholders in the sugar industry,” Valderrama added.

Upon assumption as Confed national president last September at the start of the current milling season, Valderrama advocated for unity in the industry, stressing that only the collaborative and focused efforts of all stakeholders can address the decades-long, myriad and recurring problems of the sugar industry, the press release said.

The largest planters association in the BISCOM Milling District in Southern Negros, PASON is actually a former member of Confed, but the group chose to become an unaffiliated association several years back. On the other hand, UCSPA is one of the oldest associations in Northern Negros, the press release added.

The other PASON officers are Dr. Agripino Randy G. Ravina III – vice president, Alejo Manuel A. Trabasas – treasurer, Marco Antonio P. Ibaňez – secretary, Nonito C. Villaluna – assistant secretary and directors Mary Joyce F. Javellana, Zea Mae T. Sales, and Cesar Dominador Q. Villafranca.

The officers of UCSPA are Alessandro U. Lacson – secretary, Michael Lindly L. Monfort – treasurer, and directors Anthony Francis L. Consing, Claire Therese L. Consing, Marissa R. Lacson and Jaime Luis L. Trebol.