BOC monitors entry of ‘ukay-ukay’ amid novel coronavirus scare
MANILA, Philippines — The Bureau of Customs (BOC) on Wednesday said it is imposing stricter measures on the importation of used clothing or “ukay-ukay” amid the outbreak of the deadly novel coronavirus (nCoV).
“Human transmitted ito so right now we’re very high on alert especially on used clothing. May premium ang ukay-ukay kasi diba, may nahuhuli pa kami paminsan-minsan and that’s one of the easiest way na ma-transmit mo ‘yang sakit na ‘yan,” BOC Assistant Commissioner Vincent Maronilla told reporters in Malacañang.
(This is human transmitted so right now, we’re on high on alert especially on used clothing. There is premium on ‘ukay-ukay’ that we sometimes intercept. That’s one of the easiest way for you to transmit that disease.)
Maronilla said it is coordinating with the Department of Health (WHO) to determine a list of items that may possibly carry the novel coronavirus.
“Tapos continuous ang coordination namin sa DOH dun sa iba pang posibleng produkto na in an instance, very high yung possibility na malagay dun yun virus at main-transmit.,” he said.
(Our coordination with the DOH is continuous on which products have a high possibility of carrying the virus and may easily be transmitted.)
Article continues after this advertisementWhile “ukay-ukay” has always been intercepted by the Customs, Maronilla said monitoring this product is on heightened alert considering the death toll of the deadly virus in China.
Article continues after this advertisement“Ilegal naman talaga ang pagpaparating ng ukay-ukay, hinuhuli naman namin regularly yan,” Maronilla said. “Kaya lang ngayon naka-heightened alert kami so ano yan, kung dati nasa number 3 priority namin sya dun list, automatic yan umaakyat yan kasi [it has caused] 130 people in deaths in China.”
(Importation of ‘ukay-ukay’ is illegal so we normally intercept that. But we are on heightened alert on that. It climbed to our priority list because it has caused 130 deaths in China.)
The novel coronavirus has so far claimed the lives of over 130 people with nearly 6,000 infected.
