The new President of CONFED may be called an “old hand” in the sugar business. A planter’s planter through and through, he has served as President of VICMICO Planters’ Association since 2006, and Chairman of CONFED Negros-Panay and in various other capacities since 2010 while sitting as concurrent Trustee of CONFED National until his election as CONFED President for 2022-2024.

Throughout his involvement in Association and Federation affairs, the 66 year old and still-fit Bodie has been known as a staunch fighter for his planter-members and for the general welfare of the industry itself. This is manifested in his campaign to make CONFED truly relevant to member-associations and producers by providing meaningful and timely services, while reaching out to other stakeholders and policy-makers to promote and defend the industry.

What his colleagues say about him speaks volumes: “Valderrama is known to us as a sugar leader who has always acted in the best interest of his fellow sugarcane producers, and always with the highest levels of integrity and faithful service to the members of his Association.”

Also, when nominated as Planters’ representative to the Sugar Board after the 2022 elections, industry leaders declared their ready support for his appointment in no uncertain terms. In a collective endorsement, they called Bodie “an excellent choice to represent the planters as member of SRA Sugar Board”, and further declared that “his long years of active involvement in the sugar industry have shown his readiness to work with industry leaders and stakeholders, especially the small farmers.”

Bodie affirmed this when he accepted his post (albeit short-lived as a result of the sugar importation controversy) by declaring his “intention to bring the producers’ voice to the SRA and to help craft measures to address industry concerns”.

The new CONFED President sees his current position as an opportunity to pursue his “most fervent wish – to help unite the industry, to put our acts together, to speak with one voice and to work as one to address the many challenges we confront in these difficult times”.