BOC refutes hog raisers' claim

MANILA, Philippines - The Bureau of Customs (BOC) has brushed aside the claims of hog growers and poultry raisers that the bureau was relucrant in providing inward foreign manifest (IFM) that would effectively check smuggling and over importation of frozen meat.

Earlier, Abono chairman and Swine Development Council director Rosendo So accused BOC Commissioner Ruffy Biazon of setting aside a memorandum of agreement (MOA) that they signed a three-day convention in Cebu City allowing them and the National Inspection Service (NMIS) to join in conducting inspections of imported meat and other foodstuffs.

Biazon said he is not authorized to provide IFM to hog growers, adding that the Bureau of Animal Industry (BAI) which is under the Department of Agriculture (DA) is the one that conducts inspections of imported agricultural products like imported meat, poultry and fish products that entered into the country.

Biazon said he was disappointed with the continued accusations that the BOC has done nothing to address pork and poultry smuggling. He said the problem is not with the bureau but with the growers.

“Kung nais ng grupo ni So na kumuha ng IFM, doon si sa shipping company humingi nito at hindi sa aming tanggapan, hinihimok na nga naming sila na magpadala sila ng kinatawan na bihasa sa ganitong mga produkto upang makatulong pero nakapagtataka na hindi nila ito pinapansin, Biazon said.

He said that if So and his group will only cooperate and provide assistance by sending their experts as their representative in examining and scrutinizing imported meat, they will not only solved the problem but they can also help small and local hog growers.