MANILA, Philippines — The government has confiscated P11.6 billion worth of smuggled agricultural goods from February 2025 to July this year, Malacañang said yesterday, as it braces for the possible flooding of illicit products as the country grapples with El Niño.
Executive Secretary Ralph Recto said the smuggled goods were seized in 67 operations conducted in the campaign against acts deemed as economic sabotage.
Administrative or criminal complaints have been filed against 218 persons.
“Smugglers do not only evade duties but food safety checks. We should not let degraded food meant for dumpsters in other countries end up on our own tables,” Recto said.
According to him, fears of an El Niño dry spell in the coming months have “whetted the appetite of smugglers.”
The weather phenomenon is projected to intensify in the coming months and persist through the first half of 2027.
“Crisis creates opportunities, and when water shortage looms, the smugglers see this as a cue to flood the market with their illicit products,” Recto said.
Recto said the administration would boost production, given that the country’s population grows by 1.5 million annually.