The government has intensified its anti-smuggling drive particularly in the illegal entry of rice which not only affect the income of thousands of local farmers but also poses a danger to health of Filipino consumers.
The National Food Authority (NFA) and the Bureau of Customs (BoC) have joined forces to curb rice smuggling into the country.
NFA administrator Angelito Banayo said the signing of a memorandum of agreement (MoA) with the BoC was in response to reports of increasing incidents of illegal entry of rice into the country.
Last December alone, authorities apprehended some P20 million worth of illegally imported rice at various southern ports of the country.
Banayo said the proliferation of smuggled rice in the domestic market has affected the plight of local rice farmers.
“Rice smuggling deprives our farmers of a remunerative income from their produce. It is important for the NFA to protect our farmers,” he said.
The NFA official noted that with no incentive for local farmers to increase their palay production, the country’s domestic food supply will be threatened.
This will also pose a big challenge to the NFA’s twin mandate of stabilizing the supply and price of rice and ensuring the country’s food security, he said.
Since July 1, Banayo said the NFA has not issued any import permit, thus rice imports without permits are considered illegal.
The provisions of the agreement include the issuance of an Import Authority (IA) by the NFA for any rice importation with a copy being furnished the BoC.
Only district ports and not any sub-port or private wharf shall be designated as ports of entry and discharge for incoming rice shipments.
The BoC shall also be informed of all incoming rice shipments, specifically on the volume, type and brand, country source and supplier in that country, importer, carrying vessel and designated port of entry and discharge.
Upon the arrival of the carrying vessel, the BoC can demand for the presentation of the IA. Failure to present the same or any other violation shall be ground for the seizure of the shipment or vessel.
Another provision of the MoA is the issuance by the NFA of a Transport Permit (TP) copy furnished the BoC to cover all coast-wide or in-land movement of every rice shipment.
The TP shall state a description of the shipment, including its origin, supplier, destination, and whether it is imported or locally sourced.
In case of imported rice, an IA should accompany the TP for that particular shipment and a BoC official receipt to show payment of duties and taxes. The absence of the TP or IA shall be a ground for the seizure of the rice shipment or vessel.
Both agencies also agreed to jointly undertake seizure and/or inspection operations against rice smuggling. Both NFA and BoC shall deputize the other parties’ officials or employees who will be participating in such operations in accordance with pertinent laws and regulations.
Atty. Gilberto Lauengco was appointed as NFA representative to the Joint Task Force with Atty. Ramon Cuyco from the BoC as his counterpart. [PNA]
