What if P44-B smuggling loot were spent for our children

Malacañang secretly granted to only three sugar importers the privilege to bring in 440,000 tons in 2023. Costly sugar will result from that government-sponsored cartel. Consumers already are suffering P140-a-kilo retail price.

Customs valuates contraband sugar at P100,000 per ton. Meaning, Malacañang’s favored three will rake in P44 billion.

Imported sugar is only P40 a kilo at warehouse, traders say. That includes P20 purchase from Thailand, shipping, hauling and storage. For every P10-a-kilo markup on its 440,000 tons, the cartel pockets P4.4 billion. So, at the prevailing P140 a kilo retail, it will profiteer P44 billion. The traders’ calculation matches that of Customs.

If used instead for children’s benefit, what can that P44 billion do?

(1) It can nourish the two in every five youngsters 5 years old and below who are stunted, underweight and wasting. From Unicef figures, that would be 4.8 million out of 12 million who can be given a fighting chance if fed right.

(2) P44 billion is one-fourth of the P194.6-billion outlay for the Pantawid Pamilyang Pilipino Program. Government is unable to increase that fund to benefit more than 4.4 million indigent households. 4Ps enables pregnant mothers to seek natal care, regularly bring children 0-5 years old to health centers and ensure school attendance of those 3-18.

(3) Infants and toddlers can be vaccinated against TB, hepatitis-B, diphtheria, pertussis, flu, polio, pneumonia, meningitis, measles, mumps and rubella. Also, deworm, delouse and check teeth and eyes of kindergartners and grade schoolers. Plus, vitamins and supplements.

(4) At P300,000 each, 147,000 new classrooms can be built. Present shortage is 91,000 and rising. The lone schoolhouse in the westernmost island of Pag-asa remains wrecked 15 months after Typhoon Odette.

(5) At P3,300 each, 13.3 million smartphones can be lent to grade schoolers as learning aids.

(6) At P9,700 each, 4.5 million laptops can be lent to high schoolers.

(7) At P2 billion each, 22 children’s hospitals can be built and equipped. Only Metro Manila has one at present.

(8) Children’s books, plays, educational shows and toys can be produced to enhance learning.

(9) Campuses can be fitted with biology, chemistry, physics and speech labs to improve science and communications learning. Children can be honed in high-tech.

At P120,000 each, 367,000 dwellings can be built to kick off a five-million mass housing program. Collateral for 100,000 e-jeepneys and e-tricycles can be subsidized, redounding to cleaner air. More railways, bridges and roads can be paved. Overdue allowances of health workers can be paid.

Air and seacraft can be procured to patrol territory and maritime jurisdictions. Areas torn by insurgency and separatism can be developed.

The 440,000-ton sugar import this year is for buffer against typhoons and domestic harvest shortfall. As well, to bring down retail prices. Yet it hasn’t. Malacañang is not even selling cheap in Kadiwa rolling stores smuggled refined Thai sugar.

Last week Customs seized 1,508 tons smuggled into Port of Subic. That’s in addition to 16,000 tons in December. Another 4,000 tons were confiscated January in Batangas. And 23,800 tons also in January at Manila International Container Port. The Department of Agriculture Inspectorate and Enforcement unit initiated all interdictions.

Agriculture Senior Usec. Domingo Panganiban selected the three importers last Jan. 13. He claimed authority from Executive Sec. Lucas Bersamin and President Marcos Jr. as concurrent Agriculture secretary. He preempted the Feb. 24-28 selection by the Sugar Regulatory Administration, which has sole legal power to do so.

Cartelists also control spices. Onion prices soar at P150-P180 a kilo. While down from atrocious P800 last Christmas, it has yet to revert to the P35 world price. But planters are groaning that the cartel buys from them at only P10 farmgate.

Imported garlic retails at P140 a kilo; pungent local variety at P400. That’s despite Congress’ exposure of price manipulators and smugglers. Agriculture officials say farmers must be encouraged. Yet last September, Panganiban scorned decades long Batanes garlic producers for “planting without thinking of where and how to market.”

*      *      *

Follow me on Facebook: https://tinyurl.com/Jarius-Bondoc