“Kasapulan ti long term, saan a band-aid solution laeng”-Cong. Yap against smuggling

Benguet, Philippines – “Kasapulan ti long term solution, saan nga mabalin ti band-aid solution laeng,” remarked Benguet Congressman as he pushed measures anew seeking to curb agricultural smuggling.

Smuggling of agricultural products from China which has been going on for more than a decade now resulted in price distortion of local produce. Affected farmers and vegetable traders from Benguet have long been appealing for interventions and eventual resolution from the national government.

In June 2022, Yap together with the Representative of the 1st District of Davao City Paolo Duterte filed House Resolution No. 108 before the Committee on Agriculture and Food, seeking an inquiry, in aid of legislation, on the continued smuggling of agricultural products into the country despite existing laws and regulations.

“Saan pay lang nga naawan ti smuggling ti nateng, poultry ken daduma pay nga agri products nu sadinno agtultuloy nga parparigaten na dagiti ayaten tayo a mannalon. Isu't gapuna nga insingasing tayo ti umno nga imbestigasyon ta rebbeng na laeng nga sungbatan ken sumango iti linteg dagiti naglabsing. Saantay a baybay-an dagiti problema dagiti mannalon, saan koma nga malagip da laeng inton tiempo ti propaganda,” stressed Yap on his social media post on Wednesday, November 16.

Further, the lawmakers through House Bill 319 sought to increase the penalty for large-scale agricultural smuggling by amending for the purpose RA 10845, otherwise known as the Anti-Agricultural Smuggling Act of 2016.

The bill imposes a penalty of life imprisonment and a fine of twice the fair value of the smuggled agricultural product and the aggregate amount of taxes, duties, and other charges avoided plus interest at the prevailing legal rate against the individual who commits smuggling.

The matters were discussed on Tuesday, November 15 by the said committee and are still pending with it.

During the meeting, the Bureau of Customs reported at least 33 cases of alleged smuggling of agricultural products have been filed before the Department of Justice since January 2022. The goods in question have a total dutiable value of P251.61 million with P107.19 million in duties, taxes, and fees.

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