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Manila Bulletin devider Philippines devider National devider Consumer group calls for swift passage of agri-smuggling law expansion

Consumer group calls for swift passage of agri-smuggling law expansion

Published Feb 21, 2023 09:04 am

As the agriculture sector continues to intensify the fight against smuggling, a consumer group called for the immediate passage of Senate Bill 1688 which expands the coverage of the Republic Act (RA) 10845 or the Anti-Agricultural Smuggling Act of 2016.

SMUGGLED onions weighing a total of 71,551 kilos were destroyed in Zamboanga City. (Photo via Liza Jocson)

The bill, filed by Senator JV Ejercito, seeks to include hoarding, profiteering, cartel, and "other market abuses", saying the proposed amendments "are a timely intervention given the rising prices of goods like onions."

"Amendments aimed at improving the law should focus on offenses that are harmful to Filipino consumers and households, those crimes we consider to be large-scale and prevalent as to amount to economic sabotage. That's why SB 1688 includes profiteering, hoarding, and the like. The Ejercito measure gives us that. It adds substance to the law," Malayang Konsyumer (MK) Spokesperson Atty. Simoun Salinas noted.

The group reminded that there have been recent reports of a looming garlic crisis coming, months after an onion shortage that saw supplies plummet and prices skyrocket.

The aforementioned bill noted that as per figures from the Bureau of Customs, P1.2 billion worth of food products were smuggled into the country in 2022. To note, in January 2023 alone, the agriculture department reported a total of P202.5 million worth of onions and other agri-fishery products from HongKong, China were seized in separate operations at the Manila International Container Port.

Meanwhile, MK convenor Christian Real stressed that "smuggling of essential food items is a big concern, but it's not the only problem we need to address."

"May supply ka nga, tinatago naman at ipinagkakait sa merkado. Hindi nga smuggled ang food items, pero ang mahal naman ng presyo dahil kontrolado ng cartel at ng mga mapagsamantala at ganid na grupo (There are supplies, but they remain hidden from the consumers. There are items that are not smuggled, but the prices are high because the cartel is controlled by people who take advantage and groups that are greedy)," Real pointed out.

"That's why we need to amend the law to penalize these other offenses," he added.

Related Tags

passage call Agriculture sector agriculture consumers group immediate law expansion agri-smuggling law
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