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THE
Department of Agriculture (DA) signed an agreement with
two farm-based nongovernment groups to allow them to
recommend industry representatives to join the
department in its ocular inspections of shipments of
imported farm products at the Bureau of Customs (BOC).
Agriculture Secretary Arthur Yap signed a memorandum of
agreement (MOA) with the Agricultural Sector Alliance of
the Philippines (Agap) and Alyansa Agrikultura.
Yap
noted that the agreement supplements the existing
antismuggling accord forged last year by the DA with the
Department of Finance (DOF).
“This
partnership with Agap and Alyansa Agrikultura is part of
our stepped-up efforts to encourage and engage the
private sector in antismuggling activities so that the
government could be alerted on such anomalies,” he said.
Under
the MOA, Yap committed to accredit agriculture industry
representatives from farmers and fisherfolk
organizations in all ocular inspections of imported
shipments of agriculture and fishery products to be
conducted by the DA, whether in the ports of entry or in
cold-storage facilities and warehouses.
In case
shipments are apprehended or seized, the DA will
coordinate with the BOC and the agriculture industry
representative in conducting a 100- percent examination
of these goods, and participate, if necessary, in the
seizure proceedings, disposition of the confiscated
items and prosecution of the people behind the illegal
importation.
As part
of the accord, the DA will also provide the accredited
agriculture industry representatives, upon their
request, with lists of all import-related permits issued
by the department and its attached agencies.
It also
requires the DA to “indicate/designate in the
permit/clearance the District Ports [not subports] that
may be used as Port of Entry/Discharge for the shipments
of agricultural and fishery products.”
Agap and
Alyansa Agrikultura, on the other hand, both committed
to support the DA in its antismuggling efforts by
providing the resources necessary to gather information
on, investigate and prosecute smuggling and other
unlawful means of bringing agricultural products into
the country.
These
two groups will also get to recommend the agriculture
industry representative who will be accredited by the DA
to conduct surveillance activities and monitor the entry
of unauthorized imports of agricultural products at
ports of entry and in cold storages.
The DA
and DOF signed an accord in January last year committing
the two agencies in the intensified fight against the
smuggling of agro-fishery products. |
