The ongoing Senate inquiry on agricultural smuggling is solid proof that we are far from ending the abuses being committed by importers, traders and public officials who allow and benefit from the illicit entry of vegetables, fruits, spices, seafoods and meat products into the local market.
Allow me to state the bad news. This problem will persist. Regardless of the efforts and reactions of the Department of Agriculture and other concerned government agencies such as the Bureau of Customs, smuggling will find its way through the weaknesses of our border control apparatus and frailties of our human shield. Furthermore, even the best intentions of the most dedicated senior officials of the said government agencies will not be enough to end smuggling and lessen the sufferings of our impoverished farmers and fishermen. The problem is deeper and structural.
Long term solutions needed. The overall uncompetitiveness and inefficiencies of our agricultural sector aggravate the dismal living conditions of more than three million Filipinos who are involved in farming. This sector, which comprises at least 40 percent of our total number of domestic workers, desperately struggles to survive. They will not be able to deliver the needed food security of the country nor uplift their own material well-being.
The bitter truth is all anti-smuggling efforts are mere palliatives. Yes, imposing discipline and accountability in our ports is a basic duty of our law enforcers. However, the delicate balancing act of being lenient during lean months and strict during harvest season has loopholes that will be readily abused. Consumers will be flooded with lower-priced imported agricultural products and eventually kill the livelihood of our farmers, poultry and hog operators in the process. Then, Congress will have no choice but to again exercise its oversight obligation to investigate. The vicious cycle goes on.
Can long-term problems be resolved with short-term solutions? Absolutely not. We must aim beyond our anti-smuggling programs or the graft-ridden construction of countless farm to market roads. We’ve also seen the futility of subsidizing the losses on the demand side of rice production which eventually influence our policymakers and legislators to adopt and implement the controversial Republic Act 11203 or the Rice Tariffication Law. This law removed the monopoly of controlling rice importation from the National Food Authority. Instead of requiring volume restrictions, a 35 percent tariff is imposed on rice imports from ASEAN countries, and 50 percent for non-ASEAN origins. This law is now the favorite punching bag of critics and organizations advocating stronger importation controls.
We will always suffer from rampant smuggling, especially if we delay the modernization of BOC. This will be coupled with periodic supply fluctuations, rising prices of agricultural products and rural poverty if we continue to fail in providing the needed long-term solutions to the perennial problems in our agriculture sector.
Long-term solutions are necessary to address long-term problems. The underlying logic is clear. For example, in Malaysia, they have pursued a sustained four phased national agriculture policy (NAP) that run from 1984 to 2020. This helped transform our neighbor from a third world economy to a leading emerging market that graduated from traditionally exporting rice, cacao and rubber.
The Malaysians have developed their downstream agricultural products and added other high value crops in their export mix. Deliberately, their national government has built the strategic infrastructure that supported their huge agro-industrial complexes and large plantations for palm development. By using a combination of fiscal incentives and macro-management of their agriculture, they have synergized their fertile lands, forestry and vibrant industries. Winning export crops were strengthened. Food security was prioritized. Innovations such as digital information systems and modern train networks connected their farms to their logistical hubs and industrial consumers. Anti-poverty programs were pursued to micro-manage the welfare of their farmers and dependents. In my dozens of travels inside Malaysia, I have witnessed the results of their agricultural and industrial transformation.
Continuity and stability must be attained. Our political system is different. Unlike the parliamentary and federal system of Malaysia, our presidential form of government requires us to elect new national leaders every six years. Unfortunately, with the term of the administration ending regularly, continuity of policies is compromised. We have the tendency to terminate even the best programs of the previous leaders. This is our dilemma.
It is difficult to institutionalize strategic platforms because of our chosen political system. Roadmaps are always adjusted or simply ignored. New administrations have no obligation to support and continue the initiatives of their predecessors. In fact, existing contractual obligations between our government and foreign entities were even canceled, which caused insecurities and frustrations among the business and diplomatic communities. Our investment incentives were also modified in the middle of existing agreements.
Even an upright DA Secretary William Dar is confronted with the myriads of problems that he inherited. He is also surrounded by executives who are not his choices. His comprehensive “18 Key Strategies” would most likely be thrown away by his successor regardless of their laudable merits. He accomplished a lot but is unfairly being blamed for the structural defects of the industry.
Our hands are tied as a nation. We are held hostage by the weaknesses of an existing political system. Our agriculture is one of the many victims that could hardly progress within the said system. Can we just decentralize our agricultural controls for the meantime?
Despite these limitations though, we must find a way to establish continuity and stability of national policies to make our agriculture globally competitive. Our national leaders must acquire the maturity to adopt the best practices and programs even of their political rivals if we are to aspire for a modern capability that delivers food security and higher standard of living for our agricultural workers.
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Email: arielnepo.philstar@gmail.com