Press Release
November 13, 2014

Villar: More than 100,000 MT of meat lost to smuggling

Sen. Cynthia Villar today disclosed that some 100,000 metric tons of meat was lost to outright smuggling last year. This, she added, is on top of the 40,000 metric tons more lost to technical smuggling.

During the hearing of the Senate Committee on Agriculture and Food presided by Villar, it was established that in accounting for the actual supply and demand of meat in the country, a minimum of 100,000 MT of meat entered Philippine ports without proper documentation from the Department of Agriculture Bureau of Animal Industry and the Bureau of Customs.

"We established that there is indeed smuggling. This is important because we want to identify the reason why backyard hog farming is declining, and how this is affecting the 65 percent who are small backyard raisers," Villar said.

The Nacionalista Party senator also said that the hearing was able to identify the different tariff rate in good meat (35 percent), and offal and fats (5 percent), as the culprit in the proliferation of technical smuggling.

"Iyong good meat nilang pinapasok dine-declare nilang offal and fats na may duty na 5 percent para hindi sila magbayad ng 35 percent; they saved 30 percent on duty," Villar said.

Villar was able to get the commitment of Segfredo Serrano, undersecretary for Policy, Planning, Research and Development and Regulations of DA, that they will push for the harmonization of tariff duty of good meat and offal to prevent technical smuggling.

The senator also raised concern over the selling of imported frozen meat in the market, which poses problems in food safety. Dr. Minda Manantan, executive director of the National Meat Inspection Service, said they have already written a number of local governments about the selling of imported frozen meat in public markets.

"We should make sure that imported frozen meat only goes to processors and not to retailers because we don't want this to end up in our markets and supermarkets. These have been frozen for a very long time in another country and while in transit. Once thawed, these meat products are already expired and not safe for human consumption," Villar said.

During the hearing, the danger of consuming excessive amounts of extenders and mechanically deboned meat was also uncovered. Maria Victoria Pinon of the Food and Drug Administration said bone fragments and high calcium intake is dangerous to a growing child because it could cause bone formation abnormality.

"We have to caution the people that while cheap burgers and siomai can be easily bought, it can make us sick," Villar said.

Villar also said reforms and strict implementation of existing laws should be done to boost the competitiveness of the local livestock industry in preparation for the integration of ASEAN economic communities come 2015.

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