Addressing a depressed community in Zamboanga Sibugay, President Marcos has lambasted rice smugglers for earning huge sums while ordinary Filipinos are suffering.
Marcos made the statement as he was leading the distribution of confiscated smuggled rice to Pantawid Pamilyang Pilipino Program (4Ps) beneficiaries in Tungawan, Zamboanga Sibugay on Tuesday, Sept. 19.
"Hindi tama na nagpapasok sila, iniipit nila ang suplay, pinapataas nila ang presyo. Naghihirap ang tao para lang kumita sila ng malaki (It is not right that they bring in rice, they hoard it to keep the prices high. People are suffering while smugglers are earning big),” Marcos said in his speech.
The President told the beneficiaries that the rice given to them was part of the rice seized by the Bureau of Customs at a warehouse in Barangay San Jose Gusu in Zamboanga City.
A total of 42,180 bags of imported rice worth P42 million were seized from the warehouse. A total of 1,500 sacks were donated to the families.
He said the government adhered to due process in confiscating the smuggled goods by giving the respondents a 15-day notice to hear their side of the story.
“Nabigyan na sila ng 15 days, wala silang naisagot kaya’t kinuha na ng gobyerno at ginawa naming donation sa DSWD [Department of Social Welfare and Development] … ang sabi ko, ang pinakanangangailangan diyan ang mga beneficiaries ng 4Ps (They were given 15 days to explain but they were not able to do so. So the government seized it for donation. And I said 4Ps beneficiaries are in most need of this),” Marcos said.
Marcos also assured the beneficiaries that the government is working tirelessly to put an end to the smuggling, which adversely affected the agricultural sector in the country.
“Kailangan sapat ang pagkain para sa ating mga kababayan. Kasama diyan ay pinapatibay natin ang sistema ng agrikultura. Ngunit hindi lamang, yun ang nagiging problema sa agrikultura dito sa Pilipinas, ang isang napakalaking problema ay ang pag-smuggle ng bigas papasok ng Pilipinas (We should have an ample food supply. It includes the strengthening of our agriculture system. But that is not the only problem here in the Philippines, we are also facing a very big problem of rice smuggling),” he said.
“Hindi lamang pag-ayos ng agricultural sector ang ating kailangang gawin. Kailangan din nating pagtibayin ang ating pag-impose ng mga batas tungkol nga sa pagbigay ng suplay ng bigas sa atin, sa buong Pilipinas (We need to fix the agricultural sector and strengthen the enforcement of our laws to sustain the supply of rice in the entire Philippines)," he added.
The Chief Executive also led the turnover of P6.72 million worth of Department of Agriculture-Philippine Rural Development Project Investment for Rural Enterprises and Agricultural and Fisheries Productivity (DA-PRDP); P11.84 million worth of DA-PRDP I-REAP; and P1.5 million worth of DA Kadiwa financial grant (Hauling Vehicle).
He also distributed P1 million worth of DA Kadiwa financial grant (trading capital); P1.5 million worth of DA Kadiwa financial grant (vehicle and working capital); P59,043 worth of assistance certificate from the Bureau of Fisheries and Aquatic Resources (BFAR): P76,620 worth of mackerel drift gillnet; and P4,000 worth of eight rolls-PE Rope No. 10mm.
Other assistance from the Department of Labor and Employment (DOLE) was also distributed such as P120 million worth of assistance under the “Tulong Panghanapbuhay sa Ating Disadvantages/Displaced Workers” and P530,000 worth of DOLE livelihood aid.