BOC verifying import permit of sugar in Bulacan warehouses

Photo from the Bureau of Customs

MANILA, Philippines — The Bureau of Customs is verifying the authenticity of the import permit of 60,000 sacks of sugar found during its inspection of four warehouses in Guiguinto, Bulacan on Saturday.

Customs personnel did the inspection with a letter of authority from President Ferdinand Marcos Jr., according to a statement issued by the Office of the Press Secretary.

They found a total of 60,000 bags of sugar, each bag carrying 50 kilograms. That’s 3,000 metric tons of sugar. One warehouse had sacks of sugar neatly stacked up to the roof.

The warehouse caretaker told the inspectors that the sugar shipment came from Thailand and was delivered on Friday at the Manila International Container Terminal.

The caretaker showed the inspectors a permit issued last February by the Sugar Regulatory Board under Sugar Order No. 3. This is what the bureau is verifying.

Last Thursday, Customs authorities in Subic intercepted a cargo vessel carrying at least 140,000 bags — or 7,000 metric tons — of sugar imported from Thailand.

The recent inspections and interceptions of sugar imports were done due to a nationwide sugar supply shortage.

On Thursday, Malacañang announced that Marcos and industry stakeholders have agreed to import up to 150,000 metric tons of sugar to help fill the supply gap.

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