Smuggling gets hotter and hotter
October 19, 2003 | 12:00am
Last year, the hot items in the agriculture sector were contraband products – either misdeclared or having no import permit – that came in regularly resulting in economic dislocation among Filipino farmers.
This year, more and more "hot" food products in containers are overstaying in the country’s ports. These days, there are several containers of overstaying frozen meat and other meat products at the Port of Manila awaiting disposal. Out of 27 overstaying containers, 8 containers had been disposed.
Among them are 27 feet x 40 feet containers of frozen chicken, 1 x 20 containers of chicharon and 7 x 40 containers of pork from China. Aside from 2 containers of pork from China, 1 container of chicken declared as ice cream and the recently disposed 3 containers of chicken; most of the shipments are also classified as overstaying cargoes. At the Manila International Container Terminal (MICT), 17 containers out of 23 containers of overstaying frozen meat and meat products had been disposed.
Cargoes are considered overstaying on the basis of the following: (1) when the alleged consignees are either denied ownership, (2) failed to redeem the cargoes due to lack of necessary permits from the Bureau of Animal Industry (BAI) or (3) failed to pay the required duties, taxes and demurrage fees.
Tasked as guardian vis-å-vis shenanigans in the import business is the Veterinary Quarantine Service (VQS) of the BAI whose personnel watch out for the smuggling activities in the Port of Manila (POM) and other ports and Manila International Container Terminal (MICT).
The VQS religiously checks all Inward Foreign Manifest of all containerized vessels, specially those from restricted countries like China and Taiwan. Likewise, it is closely coordinating with the Bureau of Customs (BOC) for clearances and releases of agricultural products.
To check and/or control the rampant smuggling the following measures are recommended:
(1) Continuous provision of Inward Foreign Cargo Manifest. The DA should issue an Administrative Order requiring all shipping and airline companies and their local agents to provide before or during boarding the veterinary quarantine/boarding officer the Inward Foreign Cargo Manifest. This is an excellent tool for monitoring all incoming shipments.
(2) Non-loading/non-acceptance for transport from the countries of origin the products intended for the Philippines not covered by ImportAuthority/Permit from the country’s Department of Agriculture.
(3) Total cooperation of the BOC in providing the VQS through computer link-up advance information on shipments/cargoes for proactive action even before the former refers a particular shipment to the latter.
(4) Augmentation of DA personnel assigned at cold storages/warehouses for post entry monitoring surveillance.
(5) The quarantine personnel needs full time government lawyers for legal support in charging and prosecuting violators of quarantine rules and regulations. More often, a veterinary quarantine officer is left alone to defend himself from the harassment of baseless counter charges.
(6) The passage of the Veterinary Quarantine Act that allows the VQS authority and jurisdiction of imorted animals, animal products and other veterinary products over the BOC. The quarantine must be the first one to act on them, the BOC next. This is the set-up in Australia, Japan, and New Zealand where the quarantine is the first line of defense. Another suggested measure is the extension of invitation for the private sector to undertake a strong lobby vis-å-vis the BOC for the accelerated disposal of apprehended commodities. – Ramon Epino
This year, more and more "hot" food products in containers are overstaying in the country’s ports. These days, there are several containers of overstaying frozen meat and other meat products at the Port of Manila awaiting disposal. Out of 27 overstaying containers, 8 containers had been disposed.
Among them are 27 feet x 40 feet containers of frozen chicken, 1 x 20 containers of chicharon and 7 x 40 containers of pork from China. Aside from 2 containers of pork from China, 1 container of chicken declared as ice cream and the recently disposed 3 containers of chicken; most of the shipments are also classified as overstaying cargoes. At the Manila International Container Terminal (MICT), 17 containers out of 23 containers of overstaying frozen meat and meat products had been disposed.
Cargoes are considered overstaying on the basis of the following: (1) when the alleged consignees are either denied ownership, (2) failed to redeem the cargoes due to lack of necessary permits from the Bureau of Animal Industry (BAI) or (3) failed to pay the required duties, taxes and demurrage fees.
Tasked as guardian vis-å-vis shenanigans in the import business is the Veterinary Quarantine Service (VQS) of the BAI whose personnel watch out for the smuggling activities in the Port of Manila (POM) and other ports and Manila International Container Terminal (MICT).
The VQS religiously checks all Inward Foreign Manifest of all containerized vessels, specially those from restricted countries like China and Taiwan. Likewise, it is closely coordinating with the Bureau of Customs (BOC) for clearances and releases of agricultural products.
To check and/or control the rampant smuggling the following measures are recommended:
(1) Continuous provision of Inward Foreign Cargo Manifest. The DA should issue an Administrative Order requiring all shipping and airline companies and their local agents to provide before or during boarding the veterinary quarantine/boarding officer the Inward Foreign Cargo Manifest. This is an excellent tool for monitoring all incoming shipments.
(2) Non-loading/non-acceptance for transport from the countries of origin the products intended for the Philippines not covered by ImportAuthority/Permit from the country’s Department of Agriculture.
(3) Total cooperation of the BOC in providing the VQS through computer link-up advance information on shipments/cargoes for proactive action even before the former refers a particular shipment to the latter.
(4) Augmentation of DA personnel assigned at cold storages/warehouses for post entry monitoring surveillance.
(5) The quarantine personnel needs full time government lawyers for legal support in charging and prosecuting violators of quarantine rules and regulations. More often, a veterinary quarantine officer is left alone to defend himself from the harassment of baseless counter charges.
(6) The passage of the Veterinary Quarantine Act that allows the VQS authority and jurisdiction of imorted animals, animal products and other veterinary products over the BOC. The quarantine must be the first one to act on them, the BOC next. This is the set-up in Australia, Japan, and New Zealand where the quarantine is the first line of defense. Another suggested measure is the extension of invitation for the private sector to undertake a strong lobby vis-å-vis the BOC for the accelerated disposal of apprehended commodities. – Ramon Epino
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