Anti-agri smuggling law to lift condition of Filipino farmers
THE signing of the Anti-Agricultural Economic Sabotage Act will help improve the conditions of Filipino farmers and their families, according to leaders of various groups supporting Filipino farmers and local industries.
British Chamber of Commerce in the Philippines executive director and trustee Chris Nelson said the chamber strongly commends the signing into law of the Anti Agricultural Economic Sabotage Act. “We expect to see significant growth in the agricultural sector for local producers and legitimate importers,” he said.
Philippine Tobacco Growers Association (PTGA) president Saturnino Distor expressed gratitude to President Ferdinand “Bongbong” Marcos Jr. and his administration for enacting Republic Act No. 12022, also known as the Anti-Agricultural Economic Sabotage Law.
“With its implementation, we are hopeful that tobacco farming will have adequate protection against the entry of illegal products into the country,” Distor said.
President Marcos signed RA 12022 into law on Sept. 26, 2024. Under the law, crimes such as smuggling, hoarding, profiteering, cartel formation, and the financing of these illegal activities involving agricultural and fishery products are classified as acts of economic sabotage. These offenses carry a penalty of life imprisonment and a fine of up to five times the value of the products involved.
The president said the proactive measure would “prevent the entry of smuggled agricultural products, ensuring that the correct duties and taxes are paid while imposing higher penalties on violators.”
The PTGA, which represents 50,000 tobacco farmers nationwide, said this legislative victory is crucial in ensuring the sustainability of the sector amid the increasing problem of smuggled tobacco.
“The continuous influx of cheap, illegal cigarettes is a blow to our tobacco farmers, especially with the high prices of legal cigarettes due to annual tax increases. We hope the government’s action against smugglers and illegal traders will continue to improve the state of Philippine tobacco and provide relief to our farmers and their families,” Distor said.
Smuggling tobacco crops and cigarettes worth at least P3 million is classified as an act of economic sabotage and a non-bailable offense under the law.
Anton Israel, the lead convenor of EKIS sa Smuggling, noted the damaging impact of smuggling, particularly the proliferation of fake and illegal nicotine products, “which not only robs our government of billions of pesos in revenues but also victimizes legitimate businesses and consumers.”
“With the new law, we have more reason to believe that the fight against illicit cigarette and e-cigarette trade is not a losing battle,” he said.
The law amends RA 10845, the original Anti-Agricultural Smuggling Act of 2016.
Senate President Francis Escudero said the legislative measure sends a strong message that the government will use all its resources to hold accountable those engaged in smuggling, hoarding, profiteering, and other exploitative practices in the agriculture sector.
“Farmers, fisherfolk, livestock and poultry raisers, and legitimate traders have long suffered from the operations of smugglers and other individuals and groups engaged in market manipulation,” Escudero said.
Senator Cynthia Villar, chairperson of the Committee on Agriculture, Food and Agrarian Reform and sponsor of the measure in the Senate, earlier said the legislation is an act of self-preservation against the manipulative scheme of economic saboteurs and intends to “protect our farmers’ livelihood.”
“It also protects the State from tax evaders and non-payers of duties. This will ensure the well-being of our agricultural producers, consumers, and the whole economy,” she said.
Speaker Ferdinand Martin Romualdez said the new law marks a critical turning point in the fight to defend the livelihood of Filipino farmers and fisherfolk and secure affordable food for all. “With the Anti-Agricultural Economic Sabotage Act in place, we are sending a clear message: there will be no tolerance for those who manipulate the market and jeopardize our food supply,” said Romualdez.
About 2.2 million Filipinos depend on the tobacco industry, including more than 430,000 farmers, farm workers, and their families.