Senate Deputy Majority Leader JV Ejercito has called for a Senate inquiry into the supposed over-importation of sugar, warning that an excess supply will drag down farmgate prices and erode incomes in the domestic industry.

In Senate Resolution 369, Ejercito directed the Committee on Agriculture, Food and Agrarian Reform to examine the volume and timing of sugar imports, citing the mounting losses of Filipino farmers and mill workers.

“The excessive and poorly timed importation is alarming because it affects our farmers and sugar workers. This must be urgently addressed and corrected,” he said.

The resolution cited data showing a surge in the domestic supply.

As of last March, sugar stocks reached 668,405 metric tons, up from 568,871 metric tons in the same period last year.

The refined sugar supply climbed to 506,804 metric tons, a 38.77-percent increase, raising concerns of an oversupply in the local market.

Ejercito said the imbalance has already translated into economic losses, with forgone revenues from sugar and molasses estimated at P12.8 billion after 25 weeks of crop year 2025–2026.

He said import policies must be recalibrated to protect local producers from market distortions and ensure the long-term viability of the industry, which he described as among the most vulnerable sectors in agriculture.

At the same time, Ejercito moved to operationalize the Senate Committee on Ethics and Privileges, which he chairs, as it prepares to take up pending complaints against lawmakers.

“The committee will soon discharge its functions, including the evaluation of complaints and the conduct of hearings. We will proceed as soon as the rules are published,” he said.

The panel is scheduled to convene on 28 April to review complaints on compliance with procedural requirements, marking its first substantive step after months of delay.