Senator Francis Pangilinan. INQUIRER PHOTO
MANILA, Philippines – Senator Francis Pangilinan on Thursday took the helm of the Senate inquiry into the food smuggling syndicates following the call of Senate President Juan Ponce Enrile to go after the “big fish” in the trafficking trade.
“We are ready to get to the bottom of this latest attempt at smuggling agricultural produce into the country. It is hoped that by getting to the bottom of this reprehensible act we will prevent its repeat,” said Pangilinan who chairs the Senate Committee on Agriculture and Food.
Pangilinan said that his committee will begin preliminary hearings on the matter on August 1.
He added that food security is a matter of national interest.
“When we undertake this investigation on the incident of smuggling and other incidents of smuggling, we are actually addressing a national security matter,” Pangilinan reiterated.
“Flooding the market with smuggled rice deprives our rice farmers of their incomes and serves as a major disincentive for them to continue planting rice. It severely undermines our rice sufficiency program because it takes away from the farmers the opportunity to get fair market prices for their produce,” Pangilinan said.
He added that smuggling will drive out local farmers and fisherfolk out of business and will kill local agriculture industries. At least 60 percent of the country’s labor force will lose their jobs and food prices will skyrocket if the local agriculture industry collapses.
“This is one major factor why we are unable to bring our farmers out of poverty, and the smuggling of agricultural products threatens our food security efforts. Rampant smuggling must be stamped out if food security is to be achieved for close to 100 million Filipinos,” he added.
Pangilinan’s statement came after Senate President Enrile delivered a privilege speech urging the Senate to conduct an inquiry into the smuggling and run after the financiers and backers of these illegal activities.