00:00 To curb the smuggling of agriculture products, a cold commodity examination facility for agricultural products is underway.
00:07 This would be the first ever border inspection facility that will be established in the country.
00:12 Claes Valdepordilla with the details.
00:15 Meat, sugar and onions, some of the more popular agricultural products imported and smuggled into the country.
00:26 The Department of Agriculture explains why smuggling remains a rampant problem in the Philippines.
00:34 For example, in MICP and Port of Manila, our designated examination area is very small.
00:43 The quarantine inspection is only open and closed.
00:48 At most, 10% of the area is being inspected.
00:52 So the entire container is not being inspected.
00:55 The days of unscrupulous individuals and notorious syndicates will soon be over.
01:01 This after the DA held a groundbreaking ceremony and signing of a Memorandum of Understanding for the construction of a CEFA or Cold Commodity Examination Facilities for Agriculture in Angat, Pulacan.
01:15 This will be the first border inspection facility in the Philippines.
01:19 This aims to fully inspect and check all imported agricultural commodities shipped to the Philippines like frozen meats and imported vegetables.
01:29 The shipment shall undergo 100% inspection of farm commodities using not only human power but also modern technology.
01:40 A report says the country loses 15 to 30 billion pesos in revenues each year due to illegal smuggling.
01:48 It does not only affect the economy, it also cripples the livelihood of local farmers who cannot compete with the much cheaper prices of contraband.
01:57 The CEFA will also showcase a laboratory for disease testing.
02:02 This will prevent the entry of pests and viruses like African swine fever and bird flu and other harmful diseases which can pose serious threats to human health and the agri-industry.
02:14 Some agri-groups applaud the construction of a CEFA under the administration of President Ferdinand R. Marquez Jr.
02:23 The CEFA was supposed to kick off construction in 2003 under the Food Safety Law.
02:29 This is a big help to our food safety and to the smuggled goods that are entering our country.
02:38 Agri-groups also believe the CEFA when it begins operations will push the prices of produce down.
02:46 It's cheap because it's logistics-demolition, waiting for the construction of the dam.
02:51 It would take days. Here, the number of hours or maximum two days.
02:57 The damage to the livestock industry, for example, of the ASF, is close to 200 billion.
03:02 So if it's just numbers, the government and producers are losing a lot.
03:09 And then eventually, the consumers will be affected if, for example, you combat ASF.
03:14 The CEFA facility will rise on a 10-hectare lot provided by the Pacific Road Link Logistics Inc.
03:21 It can store more than 250 containers.
03:24 2.3 billion pesos will be used for the construction, which is expected to finish within 6 to 8 months.
03:32 It will be manned by DA and Bureau of Customs personnel and expected to generate 1,500 jobs.
