Senate Majority Floor Leader Juan Miguel “Migz” F. Zubiri on Tuesday, Dec. 14 called for a review on the impact of the Regional Comprehensive Economic Partnership (RCEP) agreement to the livelihood of local farmers in the country.
Zubiri made the call as the Senate Committee of the Whole conducted today a hybrid inquiry into the rampant smuggling of agricultural products into the country and the efficacy of the Bureau of Customs (BOC) to stop it.
RCEP is a free trade agreement (FTA) between the 10-member states of the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) and its five FTA partners namely Australia, China, Japan, New Zealand and the Republic of Korea.
While RCEP might be able to help the export industries for their products to penetrate the signatory countries, Zubiri pointed out that the FTA would lay a heavy burden not only on local farmers but also in other industries that cannot compete internationally at this point in time.
“I suggest we have another hearing where we call the DTI (Department of Trade and Industry) and the DFA (Department of Foreign Affairs) to shed light on the possible scenario once we ratify or if we ratify the Regional Comprehensive Partnership,’’ he said.
The country is a signatory already and it (RCEP) would take effect on January 1, 2022. That’s why we need to discuss this thoroughly on the effect of this agreement to our agricultural sector,” Zubiri said.
In a related development, Senator Joel Villanueva, chairman of the Senate labor and employment committee, said an affordable and available gadget could save Filipino jobs lost to reported rampant smuggling of agricultural products.
Taking the lead from the police, Bureau of Customs personnel should start wearing body cameras during raids and inspections on imported food shipment, he pointed out.
“If there is video recording of Customs procedures, it can protect local farmers from unfair trade practices," he said.
Villanueva said “downloadable footage of an apprehension will aid in the prosecution of smugglers.”
“And because an officer will not be recording his own misdeeds, the body cam is a deterrent to unethical practices. It is an anti-bribery device,” he said.
Funds needed to equip Customs personnel with bodycams is a drop in the bucket of the taxes and duties it collects, he said.
Aside from body cams, Villanueva surmised that these gadgets could also be complemented by “hulicams” such as dashcams mounted on BOC vehicles. These cameras could be linked as part of an elaborate CCTV network, “in which every van movement in every port can be monitored by the Customs Commissioner from his office,” he explained.
He said these are available and affordable technology and gadgets. “BOC cannot plead poverty of knowhow and funds as an excuse in not buying them.”
Villanueva said funds to buy these should be included in BOC’s budget.
`After years of delay, the Philippine National Police (PNP) had started mounting body cams on personnel serving court warrants and those conducting arrest and seizure operations.