Can sugar affect the result of Election 2019?
The sugar industry in the Philippines contributes no less than P70 Billion to our economy every year and the question now arises, will this affect the result of Election 2019?
Who owns the sugar?
Sugar has been the bread and butter of many Filipinos, especially in the rural areas. However, those who are working in the fields can barely put food on their tables. It is also a fact that “hacienderos” or those who own vast areas of land planted with sugarcane are maintaining their status. Wealthy families in the Philippines, eventually grasp a little more power in the government than their money.
Based on the report, “New Political Dynasties“, from PCIJ, “political scientist Temario Rivera found that 87 families controlled the top 120 manufacturing companies from 1964-1986. Sixteen of these families, about 20 percent of the total, were involved in politics”
Among these families are the ones who own vast lands such as “the Aranetas, the Cojuangcos, the Jacintos, the Madrigals, and the Yulos.” Later on, other families rose including “Duranos, Enriles, Puyats, Sarmientos, and Silverios”.
How sugar affected India
Sugar also has a great effect on India – to their culture, economy, and politics. 30 million farmers in the said country are into cane farming while millions more work in the mills and farms and are engaged in the transportation of cane, according to MSN. The report also stated that “cane growers appear to be a reliable ‘vote bank'”.
Shekhar Gaikwad, the sugar commissioner of Maharashtra said that sugar is the “most politicized crop in the world”. It can influence the vote during the election period.
People in India, generally love sugar. According to the report, the “bulk of the supply goes into making sweets, confectionery, and fizzy drinks”. With this, the obesity problem in the country continues to rise.
Role of sugar in Philippine election
Hacienderos tell their people to vote a certian politician, according to Jun Garzon, a sugar worker in Negros Occidental.
The said province in the Visayas region is considered to be the sugar capital of the Philippines.
Yes, this kind of set up is still existing in the province and most probably in other parts of the country.
Local political consultant and former journalist Mate Espina said this in a report from Rappler, “Negros is still very clannish. Most of the haciendas are still owned by big families, the Lacsons, the Ledesmas. (Businessman Eduardo “Danding”) Cojuangco is a major factor in Negros politics.”
The report also stated that “landlords mobilize hacienda votes, a form of bloc voting in Negros Occidental.”
Espina added that there is a list from landowners given to their workers containing the names of the politicians they support or those who they must vote.
“Working (with) politicians in the past, there are no more negotiations. Sometimes, (there’s) no more campaigning in the haciendas. They will campaign directly (with) the landowner,” he said.
Can this situation still affect the result of Election 2019?