MANILA (UPDATE)— President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. on Wednesday said he will "reorganize" the Sugar Regulatory Administration (SRA) following the resignation of key officials because of the botched sugar import resolution.

• What the probe into the sugar import mess aims to determine

Marcos, head of the Department of Agriculture, said the reorganization of the agency, tasked to promote the growth of the country's sugar industry, could be finished "before the end of this week."

The move aims to find out how much the country has in terms of sugar supply and whether or not an importation is warranted at this time.

"We’ll reorganize the SRA and then we will come to an arrangement with the industrial consumers, with the planters, the millers, suppliers of the sugar to coordinate para talaga kung ano ’yung mayroon, kung ano ’yung available, mailabas na sa merkado," he said.

" ’Yung kulang, eh kunin na natin, kunin na natin. Mag-import na tayo. Mapipilitan talaga tayo."

The announcement came as three officials and board members of the SRA resigned nearly a week after the unauthorized signing of a sugar import order.

The order, signed August 10, aimed to address the country's limited sugar supply and its soaring prices, with the signatories noting that the raw sugar balance will be less than 35,231 metric tons by the end of the month.

Agriculture Undersecretary Leocadio Sebastian was the first to resign on Thursday, admitting to the lapses he made for signing the document on behalf of Marcos.

This week, SRA administrator Hermenegildo Serafica and SRA board member Roland Beltran tendered their resignations.

• SRA administrator resigns following sugar import mess
• SRA board member resigns following sugar import mess

CONGRESS PROBE

Meanwhile, Marcos said he would leave the investigation on the sugar import fiasco to Congress, as prices of refined sugar already reached P100 in wet markets.

• Ilang tindahan ng milk tea, dessert, nagtaas-singil dahil sa presyo ng asukal

A separate probe on the matter is being undertaken by Deputy Executive Secretary for Legal Affairs Atty. Richard Palpalatoc, said Press Secretary Trixie Cruz-Angeles.

"Ipinaubaya namin ang imbestigasyon sa House, sa legislature and even the Senate. Dahil ang iniintindi ko lang talaga is that hindi tayo tumagal na mayroon tayong shortage ng sugar, lalong-lalo na para sa mga industrial consumer," said Marcos when asked for updates on the probe.

"‘Yung mga gumagawa ng soda, ng mga drinks, pati na ‘yung mga sa pagkain, all of the outlets na ganoon. Ayaw natin maipit ‘yun," he added.

The House committees on good government and agriculture said it would continue their investigation into a canceled sugar importation order despite the resignation of some SRA officials.

The joint probe will resume on Monday, Aug. 22,

• Coca-Cola, Pepsi, RC Cola facing shortage of premium refined sugar
• House to continue probe on sugar import mess despite resignation of SRA officials

Several beverage bottling and manufacturing firms have already sounded the alarm on the shortage of premium refined sugar, a key ingredient in sodas and other sweetened beverages.

Marcos this week said he is looking into the direct importation of sugar through industry players, to help address the shortage.

He had also said the country is likely to import 150,000 metric tons of sugar by October to keep prices steady in local markets.

• Marcos says PH likely to import 150,000 MT of sugar in October as local supplies fall

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