FOREGOING its effort to boost its own tax collection, the Bureau of Customs (BOC) under Commissioner Bienvenido Rubio opted to donate 21 containers of frozen mackerel worth P178.5 million that it seized last September to President Marcos’ campaign to mitigate hunger among lower income Filipinos.
Accompanied by Rubio, Department of Agriculture (DA) Secretary Francis Tiu Laurel and Department of Interior and Local Government (DILG) Secretary Jonvic Remulla, the Chief Executive went to the Manila International Container Port (MICP) last December 14 where the seized fishery product is being held to personally check if it is fit for human consumption.
Records show that the shipment arrived at the MICP between September 28 and September 29 but without the required sanitary and phytosanitary import clearance (SPSIC) from the Bureau of Fisheries and Aquatic Resources (BFAR), an agency under the DA.
As a result, the goods were deemed abandoned and forfeited in favor of the government.
However, instead of auctioning the shipment in order to boost its revenue, the BOC decided to exercise its option under the law to donate the forfeited item in support of the food security agenda of President Marcos.
Commissioner Rubio said they worked closely with the BFAR in having the mackerel tested and found them meeting all standards for human consumption.
On the day of the President’s visit, the BOC and the DA also signed the required ‘Deed of Donation and Acceptance’ to hasten the mackerels’ distribution to their intended beneficiaries thru the Department of Social Welfare and Development (DSWD).
A statement from the BOC further disclosed that the donated mackerels are to be distributed to marginalized barangays across the 17 Local Government Units (LGUs) in the National Capital Region, as well as one LGU each in Region 3 and Region 4-A.
The beneficiaries will also include individuals in city jails, public hospitals, and various care facilities. An estimated 150,000 families are expected to benefit from the donation.