December 4, 2024 | 12:00am
MANILA, Philippines — Combined operatives from several regulatory agencies have seized over P2 billion worth of smuggled agricultural and fishery products since January, according to the Department of Agriculture.
Felicisimo Madayag, special assistant to the DA Assistant Secretary for Inspectorate and Enforcement, told reporters yesterday that rice has been the most smuggled agricultural product this year.
Other illegally imported goods into the country include meat, fish, vegetables and fruits, although he did not provide the volume of these items.
The DA, Madayag said, has intensified efforts to crack down on smuggling and hoarding in order to protect stakeholders while ensuring food safety and security in the country.
“When we talk about food safety, we don’t know if the goods coming in are fit for human consumption, so the DA must monitor that,” he said.
On the supply side, Madayag said the continuous influx of smuggled goods is severely undermining the livelihoods of farmers and fisherfolk.
“It’s important that we keep an eye on this. Our focus here is on the farmers and fisherfolk. We call them the stakeholders of the DA. We must protect them,” he said.
In September, President Marcos signed into law the Anti-Agricultural Economic Sabotage Act, which sets proactive measures to prevent the entry of smuggled products while imposing higher penalties on violators.
Under this law, smuggling, hoarding, profiteering and cartel operations involving agricultural and fishery products will be classified as economic sabotage, a non-bailable offense punishable by life imprisonment and fines up to five times the value of the goods involved.
To hold both the masterminds and their accomplices accountable, Marcos formed the Anti-Agricultural Economic Sabotage Council and the Anti-Agricultural Economic Sabotage Enforcement Group.
According to Madayag, the Anti-Agricultural Economic Sabotage Council, chaired by the President, is expected to convene within the year.
In line with the implementation of the law, Agriculture Secretary Francisco Tiu Laurel Jr. issued a special order on Nov. 26 creating a technical working group (TWG) that will lead the establishment of the daily price index (DPI).
The TWG consists of officials and personnel from DA-attached agencies, bureaus and operating units.
The DPI will “serve as a critical tool for determining the value of commodities under investigation for alleged smuggling and hoarding, which will determine if the illegal act warrants economic sabotage,” the order stated.
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