LISTED Roxas Holdings, Inc. announced on Thursday that its unit Central Azucarera Don Pedro, Inc. (CADPI) has ceased all operations since Feb. 28 due to losses.
“CADPI is forced to terminate the employment of all of its employees on the ground of closing or cessation of operations,” it said in a disclosure.
The company added that the official termination date for CADPI employees would be on March 29.
“In compliance with Article 298 of the Labor Code, CADPI has given notice both to the Department of Labor and Employment and the affected employees for at least 30 days before the effective date of termination,” it added.
CADPI shuttered operations of its milling site in Batangas last year, citing the challenging operating environment, old equipment, and the lack of cane being brought in for milling.
The Batangas mill used to process 10,000–13,000 tons of sugarcane per day.
Gokongwei-led Universal Robina Corp. had also acquired CADPI’s sugar processing machinery and equipment to expand its sugar mill’s capacity in Balayan, Batangas.
It said that the acquisition would increase the capacity of its Batangas mill to 8,000 tons of sugar a day from the 5,000 tons previously produced.
Pablo Luis S. Azcona, administrator for the Sugar Regulatory Administration, said that the country’s capacity to process sugarcane will now be limited to Visayas and Mindanao.
“The sad effect is the loss of employment, and secondly the loss of refining capacity for Luzon. So now premium refined will come from four mills in Negros and one in Bukidnon,” Mr. Azcona said in a Viber message. — Adrian H. Halili
