The Philippine Tobacco Growers Association (PTGA) and the National Federation of Tobacco Farmers Association and Cooperatives (NAFTAC) urge legislators on Thursday to convene the bicameral conference committee and complete the process of classifying the smuggling of agricultural products as economic sabotage.
Earlier separately approved by the houses of Congress, the Anti-Agricultural Economic Sabotage Act needs to hurdle the bicameral conference ideally before the President’s next State of the Nation Address (SONA) in July.
Saturnino Distor, PTGA president, said the agricultural sector continues to suffer from rampant smuggling activities that threaten the livelihood of farmers and their dependents.
Distor said tobacco farming may also be considered vital to food security since its members also farm rice, corn and other primary crops.
National Tobacco Administration (NTA) data show 2.2 million Filipinos, including more than 430,000 farmers, farm workers and their family members, financially depend on tobacco for their livelihood.
With the Anti-Agricultural Economic Sabotage Act in place, the prospect of spending a lifetime in prison for smuggling agricultural goods plus a fine three times the value of the illicit commodity, should help deter its commission.
The House of Representatives unanimously passed the Anti Agri-Fishery Commodities and Tobacco Economic Sabotage Act on 27 September last year while the Senate, voting 18-0 for the Anti-Agricultural Economic Sabotage Act, approved a similar proposal on 11 December last year.
It is hoped the bicameral conference committee meets in time for President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. to sign into law. The houses of Congress reconvened on 29 April and will adjourn on 24 May this year.
Bernard Vicente, NAFTAC chairman, said enacting the legislation helps in the government attain food self-sufficiency and make agricultural products more affordable for Filipinos.
Both noted that of priority bills worked on for passage before President Marcos’ third SONA, only the Anti-Agricultural Economic Sabotage Act has a direct and lasting impact on Filipino farmers.
Other priority bills in the Congress include the Self-Reliant Defense Posture Act, Value Added Tax on Digital Services, Philippine Maritime Zones Act, Blue Economy Act, among others.
Both also cited the Samahang Industriya ng Agrikultura estimates of foregone revenue totaling P200 billion each year due to smuggling. The smuggling of cigarettes alone deprive government of at least P30 billion in excise tax.
The PTGA and NAFTAC claim membership totaling a combined 50,000 across the country.
