AT the recent economic briefing held by BDO Unibank, Inc. (BDO) in Bacolod City, invited guest speaker Ma. Regina Bautista-Martin, administrator of the Sugar Regulatory Administration (SRA), highlighted the importance of the private sector in the realization of the programs planned for the country's sugarcane industry.

"We need funds to translate the opportunities into ongoing business concerns," she said in her speech. These include the expansion of sugarcane areas to raise production; putting up of more distilleries for bio-ethanol production; power co-generation; and farm mechanization.

Shown in photo are (from left) Glenn Birch G. Ong, BDO senior asst vice pres; BDO president Nestor V. Tan; SRA administrator Bautista-Martin; and BDO chief market strategist Jonathan L. Ravelas addressing questions from the audience during the open forum.