A LEGISLATOR representing the agricultural sector has asked President Arroyo to certify as urgent two bills which that give more teeth to the antismuggling efforts of the government.

Party-list Rep. Nicanor Briones of the Agricultural Sector Alliance of the Philippines (Agap) made the appeal even as he warned that the price of pork may reach P200 per kilo or more if the government will not act immediately against rampant smuggling of pork and other agricultural products into the country.

Briones said House Bill (HB) 15 filed by Liberal Party Rep. Lorenzo Tañada III of Quezon and HB 3115 that he filed, will establish preventive measures by providing clearer and more transparent rules for the importation of food products and strengthening the role of the private sector in preventing smuggling.

“Toleration of rampant smuggling creates a never-ending cycle of economic distress as it creates an over-supply of cheap agricultural products, thereby decreasing the price of agricultural commodities which will result in losses to farmers. Once the local farmers cease to operate, there shall be shortage, hence an increase in prices of agricultural commodities thereby encouraging smuggling again,” Briones said.

“The passage of HB 15 will confront the perennial problem on smuggling and technical smuggling because it establishes preventive measures by providing clearer and more transparent rules for importation and strengthening the role of private sector in the prevention of smuggling,” he added.

Briones said that owing to the widespread smuggling of imported chicken, pork, fish and vegetables in several ports of entry in the country such as the Clark, Subic, North and South Harbors in Manila, Cebu, and Batangas, local industries are adversely affected with their produce being sold at very low prices.

Briones said farmgate price of pork is at P70 per kilo in May last year but the production cost is already at P80 per kilo for backyard and P85 per kilo for commercial raisers.

He said that many backyard hog and poultry raisers, including big hog and chicken raiser companies, who contribute a large part of swine and chicken supply in the market, have shifted to other businesses owing to the plummeting of farmgate prices at levels below production costs.

Rice and vegetable farmers are likewise cutting down production while others have already diversified owing to smuggling, losses and inadequate support from the government, Briones said.

Military blamed for rights violations

A fact-finding mission commissioned by an international group to investigate alleged human-rights violations in the country has accused military personnel in the abductions of activists accused of being members or sympathizers of the  New People’s Army (NPA).

THE Armed Forces welcomed on Monday a proposal to integrate members of the New People’s Army (NPA) who have already returned to the fold of law into the military and the police.

POLITICS, politics, politics everywhere has messed up a lot of lives of Filipinos and in the “rice crisis” has again reared its ugly head to stave off additional production of the staple that threatens to increase hunger, already rising from previous years.

LEGAZPI CITY—Two senators have declared that they will seek a Senate inquiry into the alleged misuse of the P10-billion Calamity Assistance Rehabilitation Efforts (Care) funds in the Bicol region.

A LEGISLATOR representing the agricultural sector has asked President Arroyo to certify as urgent two bills which that give more teeth to the antismuggling efforts of the government.

Dumangas, Iloilo—The negative impact of climate change is threatening food security in many countries, specifically agriculture-based economies, international organizations like the United Nations and the World Bank said.

BAGUIO CITY—With the P100-million restoration works done at the Teachers Camp, the Department of Education (DepEd) wants it to become the center for culture and the arts of the North.