FORMER Deputy Speaker Lito Atienza has strongly urged President Ferdinand “Bongbong” Marcos, Jr., also the Agriculture Secretary, to do what presidents before him had “failed” to do and ensure that incoming container vans are not used for smuggling agricultural products.

“As the head of the Department of Agriculture [DA], we strongly urge the new administration to immediately and effectively address this long-festering problem of corruption which allows the continued entry of imported agricultural products that is hurting our economy and our local farmers. We have the Customs Modernization and Tariff Act (CMTA) or R.A. 10863, which has a provision that encourages pre-shipment inspection of all incoming container vans from their ports of origin, which was passed in 2016 during the time of the late Pres. Benigno Aquino III,” Atienza said.

Atienza, the former Mayor of Manila and Environment Secretary, has consistently called on the government to implement Section 440 of R.A. 10863 which Atienza had introduced to address the entry of illegal substances such as drugs and agricultural products.

Atienza subsequently filed House Bill 2591 to amend the said section, requiring all cargo in container vans to undergo mandatory inspection before leaving their ports of origin.

AUTHOR PROFILE

Ryan Ponce Pacpaco