Coca-Cola suspends operations in 4 plants amid sugar shortage

Coca-Cola Beverages Philippines Inc. has temporarily suspended operations in four of its plants across the country amid the problems in sugar supply.

"On a day-to-day basis, we may be temporarily suspending operations in certain plants," Coca-Cola Beverages Philippines Corporate and Regulatory Affairs director Juan Lorenzo Tañada said during the Senate blue ribbon committee hearing on the "sugar fiasco" Tuesday.

He said operations in Coca-Cola plants in Davao; Imus, Cavite; Zamboanga; and Naga City, Camarines Sur are currently down.

"There could probably be a fifth, your honor, but off the top of my head, I remember four po, four plants at the moment," he said.

Despite the temporary suspension of operations, Tañada said bottling line employees working in these plants are not required to come to work but their salaries and wages are being paid.

In an interview with GMA News Online last week, Tañada said the company has pledged to do its "best" not to lay off a single employee and raise the prices of its products despite the operational difficulties brought on by a lack of bottler-grade premium refined sugar.

Earlier, Coca-Cola Philippines said the industry would need 450,000 metric tons of premium refined sugar for manufacturers to utilize 100% of its manufacturing capacity for the balance of the year and serve the orders of customers who are depending on their products for their sales and income.

Tañada said the company expressed optimism that the government will heed the call of the bottling industry.

Press Secretary Trixie Cruz-Angeles earlier confirmed that the proposed amount of sugar that will be imported is 150,000 metric tons.

Sugar is in the spotlight following the controversial issuance of Sugar Order No. 4 (SO 4), authorizing the importation of 300,000 metric tons of sugar, which was later deemed “illegal” as it was signed without the knowledge and expressed approval of President Ferdinand Marcos Jr., who, as the concurrent secretary of the Department of Agriculture (DA), also sits as the chairman of the Sugar Board.—AOL, GMA News