Customs Commissioner Ruffy Biazon reiterated his call today for the Hog Raisers Association of the Philippines to implement the agreement they have signed together with the Bureau of Customs (BOC) during their April convention in Cebu this year where they are supposed to assign industry experts to observe and monitor customs clearance procedures in order to ensure faithful compliance of meat importation regulations by personnel of the Bureau of Animal Industry, National Meat Inspection Service and the Bureau of Customs.

“This will finally solve their problem. This has worked with the Federation of Philippine Industries (FPI) and the Philippine Chamber of Commerce and Industry (PCCI). And there is no reason why this will not work with the Hog Raisers Association,” Biazon said.

Under the BOC-Hog Raisers Association agreement, the Hog Raisers’ representative, just like the way things are done with the arrangements between the BOC, FPI and the PCCI, are supposed to get themselves involved in the inspection of incoming imported meat products by seeing to it that all requirements provided for under the law have been complied with. Moreover, based on their observations, they can provide additional inputs to the government agencies involved in the meat importation process, particularly, the Bureau of Customs, to enhance the protection of the country’s local hog raisers.

“Under my leadership, the BOC opened up the participation of the private sector in the fight against smuggling, especially those affecting the local manufacturers and agricultural producers,” Biazon said, adding that, “However, if the Hog Raisers Association will not do its part in this campaign and rely solely on hearsay, then their problem is far from over.”

“We are doing everything we can on our end. But, there are things that experts from the meat industry can help enhance our initiatives. I therefore, urge them to take advantage of this openness, like what the other business federations in the country did,” the Commissioner stressed.

The Hog Raisers Association of the Philippines has been claiming of rampant meat smuggling in the country over the weeks. This prompted the Customs Commissioner to reiterate his call for the association to implement the agreed terms in the Memorandum of Agreement (MOA) they signed together in Cebu in April this year.