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Manila Bulletin devider Philippines devider National devider Lacson: Gov't losing P1 B in revenues yearly from seafoods smuggling

Lacson: Gov't losing P1 B in revenues yearly from seafoods smuggling

Published Apr 15, 2021 05:51 pm

It is not only smuggling and misdeclaration of pork that government is losing big in revenues.

Senator Panfilo M. Lacson
(SENATE OF THE PHILIPPINES / FILE PHOTO)

This was bared by Senator Panfilo Lacson on Thursday, April 15, before the Senate Committee of the Whole, which is conducting a hearing on food security issues, particularly on a controversial Malacanang order reducing tariff on and increasing volume of pork importations.

He said government is losing some P1.085 billion annually through misdeclaration and smuggling of fish and other seafoods from 2015 to 2020.

Lacson revealed conflicting data on fish and seafoods arriving in the Philippines.

The senator said there is a difference of 20 million kilos of imported fish and seafoods coming into the country from 15 countries based on data of the World Trade Organization (WTO) and Philippine Statistics Authority (PSA).

He also said there is a P20.9-billion difference in their records on imported fish and seafoods that arrived in the Philippines in the same period.

What this means is that government is losing revenues in correct taxes. because there is smuggling and misdeclaration.

Lacson said this is the same pattern in importation of vegetables, garlic and other agricultural products if these go on unabated.

He said such illegal activities kill the livelihood of farmers in the country. 

The Bureau of Fisheries and Aquatic Resources (BFAR) promised to investigate Lacson's revelation.

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