MANILA, Philippines- Inatasan ni Pangulong Ferdinand R. Marcos Jr. ang Department of Finance (DOF) at Department of Agriculture (DA) na pag-aralan ang panukalang pagsasagawa ng pre-shipping inspections ng agricultural goods sa layuning masugpo ang smuggling.
Nauna rito, nakipagpulong ang Pangulo kay Société Générale de Surveillance SA (SGS) Vice President George Bottomley at Managing Director Cresenciano Maramot sa Palasyo ng Malakanyang.
Sinabi ni Communications Secretary Cheloy Garafil na inirekumenda ng SGS executives kay Pangulong Marcos pre-shipping inspections ng mga agricultural commodities.
“The President has directed the DOF and the DA to study the proposal and come out with a mechanism to implement it,” ani Garafil.
Sa video na in-upload ng Presidential Communications Office (PCO) sa official Facebook page nito, tinanggap ng Pangulo ang nasabing panukala, kinilala na mababawasan nito ang smuggling.
“It will be essentially pre-inspection, pre-shipping inspection,” ayon kay Pangulong Marcos matapos ang kanyang meeting kasama ang mga opisyal ng SGS.
“Ibig sabihin, bago pa isakay ‘yung produkto sa barko doon sa pinanggagalingan, inspeksyunin na nila para sasabihin nila, ‘Totoo ito. Tama ang timbang. Tama ang quality. Tama ang nasa record na pinanggalingan.’ all of these items. Para hindi na natin kailangan gawin dito sa Pilipinas,” aniya pa rin.
Tinuran pa ng Pangulo na pinag-aaralan niya na palawakin ang nasabing panukala para i-cover ang agricultural invoices upang ang shipments ay matiyak na bayad na bago pa dumating sa bansa.
“Under the arrangement, SGS will create a digital invoice in a standardized format prescribed by authorities on an online government platform for registered or authenticated agricultural exporter, seller or supplier,” ayon kay Garafil.
“The invoices would be available in real time to the Department of Agriculture (DA), Bureau of Internal Revenue (BIR), and Bureau of Customs (BOC), which, according to SGS, would deter importers from manipulating or falsifying invoices and, instead, increase tax compliance, and enable cross-agency trade data reconciliation,” aniya pa rin.
“The system will likewise ensure that all agricultural importations are recorded and accounted for to prevent hoarding and price manipulation,” dagdag na wika nito.
Maliban sa tugunan ang smuggling, makatutulong din ang panukala na mapigilan ang pagkalat ng mga sakit gaya ng African swine fever at Avian flu.
“Conducting pre-shipment inspection and conformity assessment procedures would ensure that the quantity and other specifications of the goods conform with sanitary and phytosanitary import permits and test the presence of diseases, among others,” ayon kay Garafil.
Tinuran pa ni Garafil na ang exporter ang dapat na bumalikat o sumagot sa inspection at testing fees, at maging sa halaga ng registration o authentication at operation ng plataporma.
“There is also the need to conduct cost analysis first to make sure that no added burden will be imposed on consumers,” anito.
Ang SGS ay “testing, inspection, and certification company established in 1878 with an aim of ensuring the quality and safety of products based on health, safety and regulatory standards.”
Mayroon itong 2,650 tanggapan at laboratoryo at 97,000 personnel sa 140 bansa.
“The Philippines contracted the SGS from 1986 to 2000 for the verification of the quality, quantity, and price of imported goods prior to shipment to the country,” ayon sa ulat. Kris Jose
