‘Made in USA’ trash accosted at Subic

P2 million 'ukay-ukay' seized at CDO port

On Nov 2, 2020

Port of Subic district collector, Atty. Marites Martin, supervises the inspection of American domestic trash that arrived on board 30 containers at the POS in the third week of October 2020 (photo by BOC-PIAD)

DESPITE the country still being ravaged by the COVID-19 pandemic, the Bureau of Customs continues to demonstrate its officials and personnel remain vigilant against the entry of smuggled and dangerous products with the apprehension last week of another huge domestic wastes from the United States at the Port of Subic

In a report to BOC commissioner, Rey Leonardo ‘Jagger’ Guerrero, Port of Subic district collector, Atty. Marites Martin, said their inspection last October 21, 2020, of 2 container vans purportedly containing ‘American old corrugated cartons for repulping’ actually contained domestic wastes banned from entering the country.

Martin added the shipment, totaling 30 container vans, is consigned to ‘Bataan 2020, Inc.’

BOC spokesman, Atty. Vincent ‘Jett’ Maronilla, in a talk with Pinoy Exposé, added the bureau immediately coordinated with the office of Undersecretary Benny Antiporda of the Department of Environment and Natural Resources (DENR), who is in chare of solid waste management.

He added they were initially “puzzled” by the shipment as the consignee is an ‘ISO-complaint’ company. Maronilla said they also welcomed the willingness of Bataan 2020 to cooperate in the investigation.

It should be recalled that only last May 2019 that the Philippines managed to force Canada to take back its shipment of 103 toxic and domestic wastes that came in at the Port of Subic in 2013, during the Aquino administration, while it was also only this year that the BOC succeeded in returning to South Korea a similar shipment of garbage that arrived last year at the Mindanao International Container Terminal.

Martin added that an inventory of the shipment is still ongoing to determine its actual content and volume.

At the Port of Cagayan de Oro, District Collector John Simon reported to Guerrero their apprehension of 400 bundles of used clothing (“ukay-ukay”) worth some P2 million last October 16, 2020.

Simon identified the consignee of the shipment as, ‘Humility Trading,’ which declared the shipment as “used blankets, pillowcases and toys.”

Simon further reported that he had already ordered the shipment seized while appropriate charges of smuggling in relation to RA 4653 is being prepared against those behind the foiled smuggling attempt.

RA 4653 prohibits the importation of used clothing to protect public health.