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YES, THERE’S HUGE problem in “flood control.” There is in “food control” as well.
The DA chief, (Secretary Francisco Tiu Laurel, Jr.,) fresh from his wellness leave, immediately ordered a relentless pursuit against all modalities of agrifishery smuggling and all forms of economic sabotage.
The department’s Inspectorate and Enforcement (DA-IE) responded and flagged tens and tens of containerized agrifishery goods misdeclared as general merchandise.
Of late, the DA-IE, applying its Soft Touch Enforcement Protocols, rather than the conventional Hard Action/Reaction Display protocols, netted more than 50 containers of misdeclared agrifishery (A/F) commodities at the Port of Subic alone.
‘The optical narratives of DA, DOH, and BOC officials during opening of misdeclared cargoes beginning June of this year are a testimony of the limitless potency of Soft Touch Endorcement Protocols.’
EVADING BORDER CONTROL
Similar fraudulent practices were flagged by the DA’s AGRIForcement operations in the Port Manila, Manila International Port, as well as in Batangas.
It will be noted that the scheme of choice by smugglers and fraudsters is to misdeclare imported goods as processed food when in reality these are A/F goods. This ploy is done to deliberately ward off DA TRA/FSRA port-based Quarantine Inspectors who are mandated to check on imported A/F goods only.
Believing these misdeclared goods will be able to avoid or evade DA’s border control checks, they had the consignments declared as processed foods, imports that are falling under the turf of the DOH-Food and Drug Administration (FDA) and knowing the latter has no port-based enforcers or regulators.
Little these fraudsters know that the DA-IE had switched from HARD protocols to SOFT protocols, which enables it to pursue illegally entered goods beyond the port-zones. SOFT power is not done with firepower and boots on the ground, but with paper chasers demanding the documents covering the cargoes on the ground.
The optical narratives of DA, DOH, and BOC officials during opening of misdeclared cargoes beginning June of this year are a testimony of the limitless potency of Soft Touch Endorcement Protocols.
DONATION TO DSWD
Undersecretary Carlos C. Carag of the DA-IE is now training his outfit’s eyes on the shenanigans connected with the condemnation of seized and confiscated cargoes.
“Under the law, seized agrifishery goods should be immediately turned over to the DA regulatory agency for disposition,” Carag said.
“Currently, we have asked our DA experts to determine the suitability for human consumption of these agrifishery goods. Fortunately, some 25 containers of mackerels, among others, were certified as still fit for human consumption, Carag added.
The Agriculture Chief directed the immediate donation of these goods to the DSWD in compliance with the President’s directive.
“Coordinate with DSWD and have all these safely tested goods turned over to them. Bahala na DSWD. The President knows this already,” Secretary Laurel stresses.
BLESSED SUPPORT
As confiscations of A/F products at the port zones are expected to be a regular occurrence with the dynamism of Laurel’s agriforcement initiatives, plus the newly minted Anti-Agricultural Economic Sabotage Act, the DA-IE is crafting a program to be dubbed as Project DAMAYAN (DA at Malacañan Para sa Mamamayan) where “all seized but still safe agrifishery goods” will be shared with targeted sectors of our society,” suggests Carag.
BLESSED Movement Chair Herbert Martinez expressed appreciation of the DA’s concern for the underprivileged, the vulnerable, and struggling members of our society.
“We will definitely support this program. Our two million-strong members, supporters, and adherents throughout the country are willing to support DA’s initiatives through a whole-of-nation approach,” Martinez said.