Calling them an economic rip-off to Filipino traders, former Surigao del Norte 2nd district Rep. Robert Ace Barbers is calling for a total ban on the importation of all highly perishable or short shelf-life products from China.

This, as Barbers hailed Depaetment of Agriculture (DA) Secretary Francisco Tiu-Laurel for standing up to Chinese smugglers who blatantly disrespect the Philippines by making it a dumping ground of such waste items.

Barbers, who chaired the House quad-committee (quad-comm) in the previous 19th Congress, blasted the shipments of what he called China-sourced, cheap, and decomposing or rotting aquatic and agricultural products.

He said many of these have been found to be not fit for human consumption. As such, these products pose health hazards to Filipinos.

“Ang pag-dagsa ng murang China-made or produced products sa ating bansa ay hindi mangyayari kung hindi ito palulusutin ng mga tiwaling tauhan ng gobyerno na nakatalaga sa ating mga air at sea ports, partikular na ang mga tauhan ng Bureau of Customs (BOC),” he said.

(The influx of cheap China-made or produced products into our country would not happen if these were not being allowed entry by corrupt government personnel stationed at our air and sea ports, particularly those from the BOC.)

“Ang mga tiwaling ito ay di alintana kung ano ang magiging epekto ng smuggling sa ating kalusugan at ekonomiya, lalo na sa ating mga mangingisda at magsasaka. Dapat lang siguro na maglabas ang Department of Finance (DOF) ng polisiya na kasuhan, sibakin sa pwesto at tanggalin sa serbisyo agad-agad ang lahat ng tiga BOC na gumagawa ng mga pilipit na bagay na ito,” he added.

(These corrupt officials seem indifferent to the effects of smuggling on our health and economy, especially on our fisherfolk and farmers. The DOF should consider issuing a policy to immediately prosecute, remove from office, and dismiss from service all BOC personnel engaged in these twisted acts.)

Tiu-Laurel, in an interview with reporters on Tuesday at the vicinity of the BOC compound in Port Area, Manila, assailed the smugglers from China for again shipping to the Philippines rotting frozen fish and fresh onions, under the guise of noodles, kimchi, and dumplings. These products worth P35 million were concealed in six container vans

The DA chief said if needed, the government should conduct rigid risk assessment on all China products arriving in the country, open up all containers of said shipments and prevent entry of all illegal cargoes.

Barbers expressed confidence that the anti-smuggling campaign on agricultural and aquatic products led by Tiu-Laurel would be maintained and sustained to prevent Chinese and Filipino cartels, like the rice cartels, from taking pecuniary advantage over legit Filipino traders.

“Kawawa ang ating bansa sa mga Chinese smugglers na ito. Nagtataas ang presyo ng bigas dahil sa mga rice cartels. Nalulugi at nagdurusa naman ang ating mga farmers at mangingisda dahil sa murang imported na China-produced products na ini-smuggle sa ating bansa. Magagaling ang mga ito sa mga pilipit na pamamaraan upang pagkakitaan at pahirapan ang mga Filipino,” said the three-term congressman.

(Our country suffers under these Chinese smugglers. Rice prices are soaring because of rice cartels, while our farmers and fisherfolk are losing income and enduring hardship due to the influx of cheap, China-produced goods smuggled into the Philippines. These individuals are skilled in crooked schemes that exploit and burden Filipinos.)