MANILA, Philippines- Hiniling ng Federation of Philippine Industries sa iba’t ibang ahensya ng pamahalaan na ipatupad ang kautusan ni Pangulong Ferdinand Marcos Jr. para wakasan ang smuggling at iba pang uri ng illicit trade, na nakapipinsala sa ekonomiya ng mahigit sa P2 trilyon kada taon.
“When industry and government work together, we can achieve remarkable results. Let us continue to build on this momentum. Let us advocate for stronger policies, support the modernization of our customs systems, and promote transparency and accountability at all levels,” ayon kay FPI president Jesus Montemayor sa kauna-unahang National Anti-Illicit Trade Summit noong July 25, 2024.
Sinabi ng FPI na mahigit sa P2 trilyong halaga ng kalakal, kabilang na ang mga palsipikadong produkto, general merchandise, agricultural items, mga sigarilyo, at iba pang tobacco products, ang naipupuslit sa Pilipinas taon-taon.
Sinabi ni Montemayor na maliban sa ‘economic losses’, dinurog din ng smuggling ang tiwala ng publiko sa gobyerno, nakompromiso ang kalidad ng produkto at kaligtasan, at pinigilan ang mga lehitimong negosyo.
Natuklasan ng isang pag-aaral na kinomisyon ng FPI na “we are losing P250 billion of value-added tax to smuggling.”
Tinuran ni FPI chairman Jesus Lim Arranza na habang ang VAT ay kumakatawan sa 12% ng halaga ng imported goods, may P2.3 trilyong halaga ng smuggled products ang hindi patas na nakikipagkompetensya sa mga produktong gawang lokal.
Pinagtibay naman ni Assistant Secretary Carlos C. Carag ng Department of Agriculture Inspectorate and Enforcement Office na nakapipinsala ang smuggling sa sektor ng agrikultura at pangisdaan.
“Agricultural smuggling poses a significant threat to the livelihood of our farmers and fishery folk, and a major risk for the consumer’s health and safety. Smuggled food products bypass quality control and inspection, payment of taxes, and discourage local food production. It is an unfair trade practice and should be considered economic sabotage,” ang winika ni Carag.
Tinuran naman ni Paul Oliver Pacunayen, acting chief ng Intellectual Property Rights Division ng Bureau of Customs, na ang limang ‘most commonly smuggled products” ay ‘sigarilyo, illegal drugs, counterfeit goods, agricultural products, at general merchandise.’
Sinabi ni Pacunayen na base ito sa bilang ng mga sinalakay na bodega ng mga ahente ng Bureau of Customs sa first half ng 2024.
Kinumpiska ng Kawanihan ang bilyong pisong halaga ng illicit cigarettes at vapes ngayong taon, ipinaliwanag ang pagbaba sa tobacco excise tax collection.
“About 20 percent of cigarettes sold in the Philippines are illegal, with tobacco excise tax collection falling P41 billion in the past two years due to smuggling. This deprives the government of funds for health programs and local development projects,” ayon sa FPI.
Sinabi ni Bienvenido-Oplas Jr., pangulo ng Bienvenido S. Oplas, Jr. Research Consultancy Services and Minimal Government Thinkers, sa kanyang regular newspaper column na umigting ang cigarette smuggling nang lumampas ang tobacco excise tax sa P50 kada pakete noong 2021.
“Then things literally went south. At a tobacco tax rate of P55 per pack in 2022, tax revenue was P160.3 billion, or a P16.2 billion decline from 2021; at P60 per pack in 2023, it was just P134.9 billion, or a P25.4 billion decline from 2022 and a P41.6 billion decline from 2021,” pahayag ni Oplas.
Samantala, tinatayang 50% ng tobacco tax collections ang nagpopondo sa Philippine Health Insurance Corp. at Health Facilities Enhancement Programs. Mayroon namang 5% o P4 billion, ang napupunta sa local government units (LGUs) na nagpo-produce ng ‘burley at native tobacco, at 15% o P17 billion, ay nakalaan naman sa LGUs na nago-produce ng Virginia tobacco. RNT
