A powerful House committee is looking at ways to strengthen the country’s laws against smuggling of agricultural products and increasing penalties on the offenders.
Albay Rep. Joey Sarte Salceda, chairman of the Committee on Ways and Means, disclosed that the panel has been working with the Bureau of Customs (BOC) and the Department of Agriculture with a view to “tighten the noose on agricultural smugglers.”
In a statement, Salceda said as early as February 2021, his committee alerted the Bureau of Customs and the other pertinent agencies about the unabated agricultural smuggling. Acting on the committee’s request, the BOC and the Philippine Coast Guard (PCG) and other agencies formed a joint task force to go after the smugglers.
“By March, we conducted an executive session with the BOC and the Department of Agriculture, along with other relevant agencies, to strengthen anti-agricultural smuggling efforts in the ecozones and the ports, in response to biosecurity threats from the smuggling of plants and animal products. As a result of such discussions, the Department of Agriculture adopted stricter rules through the issuance of Memorandum Circular 12 which establishes comprehensive biosafety and biosecurity guidelines and a plan of action for improving biosafety systems,” Salceda said.
He said that in October last year, his committee conducted another hearing, this time “focused on efforts to prevent the smuggling of agricultural products.”
“The BOC reported that it has already filed several cases against agricultural smugglers in response to our request,” the Bicol solon added.
He also revealed that by By November 2021, the Philippine Coast Guard has been tasked to strengthen its border inspections and patrol to deter agricultural smuggling.
“We also requested the PCG to give particular attention to private ports during discussions on PCG modernization.”
“In December 2021, I alerted the Bureau of Customs again on the proliferation of possibly smuggled strawberries that threatened the local strawberry producers in North Luzon,” Salceda said.
“Moving forward, our plans are as follows: First, we will hold another updates hearing with the BOC, DA, and other agencies, to keep abreast of developments on our requests.
“ Second, I will constitute a Technical Working Group on possible recommendations that we can turn over to the next administration, particularly on amendments to the Customs Modernization and Tariff Act.
“Third, we will finalize a joint memorandum circular between the agencies to strengthen anti
agricultural smuggling measures.”
“Investigation is one thing. We are legislators. So, the House has been focused on working with the agencies to revise administrative issuances and policies, as well as creating the necessary legislative pressure to strengthen ongoing efforts.