Smuggling losses bigger than ZTE scam
AGAP: Smuggling losses bigger than ZTE scam
AMIDST the national uproar over the NBN-ZTE deal, greater vigi-lance on technical smuggling is imperative because it causes bigger revenue losses suffered yearly by the Filipino people compared to the overpriced broadband deal, according to Agricultural Sector Alliance of the Philippines party list representative, Nicanor Briones.
“The Senate probe and the change of leadership in the House of Repre-sentatives have only made AGAP more aggressive in its desire to curb smuggling,” said Briones.
Briones called for the creation of a joint committee on agriculture and food and trade to investigate rampant outright and technical smuggling. AGAP claims that untaxed products imported through technical smuggling have flooded the country thus depriving the government billions of pesos in income yearly through misdec-laration or undervaluation of imported goods in order to evade payment of correct customs duties and taxes. A very obvious evidence of which is the big disparity in the value of exported goods shipped to the country and the value of the imported goods subjected to customs duties and taxes. According to a recent World Trade Organization report, the disparity totaled $10-billion or P450-billion diffe-rence between the values declared by exporting countries and the value of goods subjected to taxes by the Bureau of Customs, the congressman added.
According to the records of AGAP members, the continued decline in feed mill production resulted in the drop in number of livestock raised by backyard farmers. The drop in backyard livestock production is reflected in the P10 rise in the cost of meat.
“This is another bad effect of uncontrolled smuggling,” said Briones, “it forces local businesses to close shop, as they can no longer make profit out of the widespread importation of agricultural products.”
He also claimed that unaccounted and unchecked imported items only expose Filipinos to heath hazards, including Bird Flu, Swine Influenza, Foot/Hoof-and-Mouth Disease, Mad Cow Disease and other emerging diseases.
AGAP pushed for the immediate convening of the Congressional Oversight Committee for Customs which has been mandated under RA 7650 in order to monitor its implementation on physical examination of imported cargoes.
The COCC has not been convened since 1993. Further, AGAP supports the passage of House Bill No. 15 by Rep. Lorenzo R. Tañada III, entitled the Anti-Smuggling Bill of 2007 and the AGAP- sponsored House Bill 3110 or the Tariff and Customs Enforcement Act of 2007. House Bill 15 has been pending since July last year with the Committee on Ways and Means, headed by Rep. Exequiel Javier.
These urgent two bills, should be prioritized by the House of Representatives if newly-installed House Speaker Prospero Nograles wants to lead the changes envisioned for the lower house, said Briones.
AMIDST the national uproar over the NBN-ZTE deal, greater vigi-lance on technical smuggling is imperative because it causes bigger revenue losses suffered yearly by the Filipino people compared to the overpriced broadband deal, according to Agricultural Sector Alliance of the Philippines party list representative, Nicanor Briones.
“The Senate probe and the change of leadership in the House of Repre-sentatives have only made AGAP more aggressive in its desire to curb smuggling,” said Briones.
Briones called for the creation of a joint committee on agriculture and food and trade to investigate rampant outright and technical smuggling. AGAP claims that untaxed products imported through technical smuggling have flooded the country thus depriving the government billions of pesos in income yearly through misdec-laration or undervaluation of imported goods in order to evade payment of correct customs duties and taxes. A very obvious evidence of which is the big disparity in the value of exported goods shipped to the country and the value of the imported goods subjected to customs duties and taxes. According to a recent World Trade Organization report, the disparity totaled $10-billion or P450-billion diffe-rence between the values declared by exporting countries and the value of goods subjected to taxes by the Bureau of Customs, the congressman added.
According to the records of AGAP members, the continued decline in feed mill production resulted in the drop in number of livestock raised by backyard farmers. The drop in backyard livestock production is reflected in the P10 rise in the cost of meat.
“This is another bad effect of uncontrolled smuggling,” said Briones, “it forces local businesses to close shop, as they can no longer make profit out of the widespread importation of agricultural products.”
He also claimed that unaccounted and unchecked imported items only expose Filipinos to heath hazards, including Bird Flu, Swine Influenza, Foot/Hoof-and-Mouth Disease, Mad Cow Disease and other emerging diseases.
AGAP pushed for the immediate convening of the Congressional Oversight Committee for Customs which has been mandated under RA 7650 in order to monitor its implementation on physical examination of imported cargoes.
The COCC has not been convened since 1993. Further, AGAP supports the passage of House Bill No. 15 by Rep. Lorenzo R. Tañada III, entitled the Anti-Smuggling Bill of 2007 and the AGAP- sponsored House Bill 3110 or the Tariff and Customs Enforcement Act of 2007. House Bill 15 has been pending since July last year with the Committee on Ways and Means, headed by Rep. Exequiel Javier.
These urgent two bills, should be prioritized by the House of Representatives if newly-installed House Speaker Prospero Nograles wants to lead the changes envisioned for the lower house, said Briones.
Labels: smuggling
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