House of Representatives (Ellson Quismorio/ MANILA BULLETIN)

The proposed Anti Agri-Fishery Commodities and Tobacco Economic Sabotage Act--a priority measure of the agriculture-conscious Marcos administration--has been unanimously approved on third and final reading in the House of Representatives.

Embodied in House Bill (HB) No.9284, the measure garnered 289 affirmative votes at past midnight Wednesday, Sept. 27, at the end of another marathon session.

Senior Deputy Speaker Pampanga 3rd district Rep. Aurelio "Dong" Gonzales Jr. declared the final passage of the bill, which sought to amend--and give more teeth--to the existing Anti-Agricultural Smuggling Act, or Republic Act (RA) No.10845.

It is seen to boost the initiatives of President Marcos--the concurrent Department of Agriculture (DA) secretary--toward keeping eliminating price spikes on pantry items such as rice and onions.

Nominal voting on HB No.9284 was carried out during a temporary suspension of the plenary debates on the P5.768-trillion General Appropriations Bill (GAB) or proposed national budget for 2024.

The lower chamber earlier passed HB No.9284 on second reading late Monday night during the final week of Congress before it goes on a month-long recess.

The measure tweaks the amended and expanded Anti-Agricultural Smuggling Law by providing life imprisonment as a penalty to those found guilty of economic sabotage. The smuggling of rice and other agricultural products is classified as “economic sabotage" under the proposed statute.

"We want to send a chilling effect on these cartels that have been operating for decades now. We really mean business this time. And our primary task here is to protect the welfare of the masses – provide them with the most affordable goods in the market,” House Speaker Martin Romualdez said.

Romualdez said that once the measure becomes a law, it would protect farmers and fishermen from smugglers, especially in times when prices are manipulated and agricultural products are hoarded.

“We have to shield them from these atrocious activities to encourage them to produce more rice and other staples so the country can attain food sufficiency,” said the leader of the 311-member House.

He said the proposed law would also benefit the public in terms of keeping prices stable as it would discourage hoarding and price manipulation.

The measure among the 20 bills listed by the Legislative-Executive Development Advisory Council for passage before year's end.