Ingat po sa smuggled goods at botcha

Malapit na naman po ang Kapaskuhan kaya kailangan ng kaunting ingat sa pamimili ng mga karne, gulay, at iba pang bilihing pang-noche buena.

Kapag masyadong mababa ang presyo ng mga bilihin sa merkado, kailangan nating tingnan kung saan ba ito nanggagaling at baka smuggled ang mga ito. Kapag hindi natin maseguro ang source ng mga bilihin, may posibilidad na ang iba rito ay delikado sa kalusugan ng mga mamamayan.

Mag-ingat rin po tayo sa "botcha" o "double-dead" na karne na minsa'y binebenta sa mga palengke kapag ganitong mataas ang demand para sa mga ganitong produkto.

Kailangan po nating protektahan ang kapakanan ng mga mamamayan, lalung-lalo na sa mga gahamang negosyante na ang nais lang ay kumita sa iligal na paraan. Baka mura nga ang bilihin, e sa ospital naman ang tuloy ng mga bumibili. Kung ano ang natipid sa pamamalengke, mababawi naman sa panggamot.

Bukod pa rito, kailangan rin nating pangalagaan ang kita at kabuhayan ng mga magsasaka. Kapag smuggled ang bilihin at bagsak-presyo ang mga ito, nasisira ang kabuhayan ng ating mga magsasaka. Wala na nga silang Christmas bonus, mawawalan pa sila ng kita ngayong Kapaskuhan.

Hinihingi po natin ang tulong ng lahat ng mga sangay ng gobyerno na maging mas mapagmatyag ngayong mga panahong ito. Bigyan natin ng ligtas at masaganang Pasko ang ating mga kababayan.

Create inter-agency task force to address smuggling

We are calling on the Department of Finance to create an inter-agency task force to address smuggling and help increase the incomes of local farmers while assuring food security.

Smuggling is one of the top concerns of both farmers and agri-businessmen around the country. Reports show that at least P100 billion of potential government revenues are lost with the continuous entry of smuggled goods and agricultural products, such as onions, rice, garlic, carrots, poultry, pork, and sugar.

According to field data, a conservative average of ten 14-footer container vans, with around 350,000 kilos of smuggled onions, enter the Cagayan de Oro and Davao ports per week.

The task force should be the vehicle that will mobilize the stakeholders and government in sharing information on smuggling activities and alerting the Bureau of Customs. It will also look into marshalling legal support for case buildup, evidence gathering, and the filing of cases against erring customs officials.

Kapag hindi natin nasolusyonan ang iligal na pag-aangkat ng mga produktong agrikultural sa bansa, hindi lang ang gobyerno ang tatamaan. Mas tatamaan ang magsasakang nagbabanat ng buto para pakainin ang sambayanan. Nawawalan sila ng kita at lumiliit ang kakayahan nilang makapagbigay ng sapat na pagkain para sa taumbayan.

Kung walang iligal na pag-aangkat, magsasaka’y aangat at lahat kakain nang sapat.

Smuggling is an urgent problem that the Bureau of Customs cannot solve on its own. We need the support of other government agencies and especially the private sector to ensure that our local producers are protected against the illegal entry of foreign commodities. We need to take care of our people, especially those who tirelessly work to put food on our tables.

Among others, we should build a united front against smuggling. Across sub-sectors—be it vegetables or meat, or rice, corn, or sugar. Smuggling hurts our farmers and the local industry. It must be met with forceful intervention. We should unleash People Power and defeat ‘smuggling power.’

We must send the signal to the smugglers that we will not simply watch and stand idly by as they wreak havoc on an industry we consider vital for national progress.

Put smugglers behind bars

It must be stressed that food security is national security—a public interest of the highest order. Government should find solutions to stop illegal smuggling of agricultural products before we totally cripple our farmers.

When smuggled goods find their way into our markets, our farmers are robbed of their profits. Smuggled products sell at a much lower price in the market. Smuggled pork are sold for as low as P70 a kilo, while our own local pork is sold at P170 a kilo. Consumers will not pick a more costly produce, even if they are not assured of the quality. These products have not gone through quality control processing; as such they pose as health hazards to our consumers.

Even if the Philippines is an agricultural country, we are unable to feed our people properly and cannot provide for the hands that feed us.

We need sustained and relentless efforts at going after smugglers, and it should not end with the seizure of goods smuggled: It must ultimately end up in placing smugglers behind bars.