MANILA, Philippines - Smugglers, particularly those in the used clothing business more popularly known as ukay-ukay, should do their share by giving away damaged branded clothes to victims of storms “Ondoy” and “Pepeng,” an opposition lawmaker said.
“This is a multi-million-peso business and smugglers benefit from this, not our poor countrymen. Ukay-ukay items should not be sold, they should instead be given to victims of typhoons for free,” suggested Ilocos Norte Rep. Ferdinand “Bongbong” Marcos Jr.
The House deputy minority leader called on both Commissioner Napoleon Morales of the Bureau of Customs and Presidential Anti-Smuggling Group chief Antonio Villar Jr. to do their job well by going after these smuggling syndicates.
“If Morales is dead serious in his campaign against smuggling, he should destroy the syndicate of ukay-ukay,” Marcos said. As for Villar, he should also “do his job by working on the ukay-ukay smuggling industry.”
Marcos lamented that smugglers “remain unnamed and scot-free.” These smuggled imported clothing should be confiscated by the government, according to Marcos, and be distributed as “relief goods for calamity victims,” and not to be sold in flea markets.
An “honest-to-goodness crackdown on smuggling of second-hand or slightly damaged branded clothes” is all that is needed for the government to do away with these smugglers, who have been making a killing at the expense of the public, he said.
Marcos revealed that a powerful syndicate is behind the smuggling of huge quantities of used clothes, shoes, toys and other items that are originally intended as donations to charitable institutions, but are sold in flea markets.
The son and namesake of the former President Marcos also disclosed that ukay-ukay is being used as a “business front for syndicates involved in the smuggling of drugs, jewelry and other contraband” into the country.
Marcos, who may run for senator next year, said he received information that these syndicates smuggle illegal drugs in the bundles of ukay-ukay clothing and sell the bundles of clothing dirt-cheap after retrieving the drugs.
“What’s so appalling is that these syndicates are making use of our poor countrymen so they can bring their contraband into the country,” he said. – Delon Porcalla