▁support ▁to ▁many ▁programs ▁of ▁the ▁M DD C . ▁ ▁Energy ▁Development ▁The ▁sugar ▁industry ▁is ▁now ▁among ▁the ▁fore front ▁of ▁alternative ▁and ▁renew able ▁energy ▁sources ▁which ▁include ▁bio f uel ▁through ▁bio eth an ol ▁production ▁and ▁co - gener ation ▁activities . ▁ ▁Sub - sect ors ▁The ▁sugar ▁industry ▁has ▁two ▁major ▁sub - sect ors : ▁the ▁far ming ▁sub - se ctor ▁and ▁the ▁mill ing ▁sub - se ctor . ▁ ▁Farm ing ▁Sub - se ctor ▁There ▁are ▁at ▁least ▁ 1 1 ▁regions / 1 9 ▁provinces ▁that ▁produce ▁sugar c ane ▁in ▁the ▁nation . ▁A ▁range ▁from ▁ 3 6 0 , 0 0 0 ▁to ▁ 3 9 0 , 0 0 0 ▁hect ares ▁are ▁devoted ▁to ▁sugar c ane ▁production . ▁The ▁largest ▁sugar c ane ▁areas ▁are ▁found ▁in ▁the ▁Neg ros ▁Island ▁Region , ▁which ▁accounts ▁for ▁ 5 1 % ▁of ▁sugar c ane ▁areas ▁plant ed . ▁This ▁is ▁followed ▁by ▁Mind ana o ▁which ▁accounts ▁for ▁ 2 0 %; ▁Lu zon ▁by ▁ 1 7 %; ▁Pan ay ▁by ▁ 0 7 %; ▁and ▁Eastern ▁Vis ay as ▁by ▁ 0 4 %. ▁It ▁is ▁estimated ▁that ▁as ▁of ▁ 2 0 1 2 , ▁the ▁industry ▁provides ▁direct ▁employ ment ▁to ▁ 7 0 0 , 0 0 0 ▁sugar c ane ▁workers ▁spread ▁across ▁ 1 9 ▁sugar - produ cing ▁provinces . ▁ ▁Mill ing ▁Sub - se