Agriculture Secretary Manny Piñol is urging the Philippine Association of Meat Processors to provide him a list of its members who are not involved in smuggling.
His request comes, as he explains that his decision to cancel all import permits for meat and plant products is meant to curb smuggling.
Smuggling of meat items is supposedly done through the “recyling” of old import permits.
Piñol tells the organization that if their members have clean business records, new permits will be immediately issued to them.
“Yung mga established na companies, padadaanin natin sa green lane maski hindi pa tapos ang dokumento. I-po-proseso na namin [ang permit] para hindi ma-delay ang shipment (the permits for established firms will be processed in the green lanes. We will process the permits to avoid delays in shipment),” he promises.
In the meantime, he is asking meat importers to bear with him.
He says, the revalidation of import permits continues.
Piñol believes the campaign against smugglers of agricultural products will benefit the rural economy.
