THE Marcos administration is intensifying its crackdown on illegal trade activities in agriculture as the body tasked to combat agricultural sabotage held its inaugural meeting last week.
The Department of Agriculture (DA) on Saturday, March 8, said that the Anti-Agricultural Economic Sabotage (AAES) Council convened for the first time on March 5 in Malacañang.
The AAES was created under Republic Act 12022 or Anti-Agricultural Economic Sabotage Act, signed into law in October last year.
The law imposes stiffer fines and longer prison sentences for those involved in agricultural smuggling, hoarding, profiteering, and cartel activities.
Chaired by Special Assistant to the President for Investment and Economic Affairs Frederick Go, the inaugural AAES meeting formalized the creation of key teams tasked with executing the provisions of the new law.
“With both the law and the implementation team now fully established, we are poised to aggressively target economic saboteurs, especially in the vital sectors of agriculture and fisheries. This will empower us to protect our local farmers, fisherfolk, and consumers, ensuring a better quality of life for our people,” said Go.
The council brought together officials from several key agencies, including the DA, Department of Finance (DOF), Department of Justice (DOJ), and the Philippine National Police (PNP), among others.
The AAES aims to combat illegal agricultural trade activities with a particular focus on large-scale smugglers, hoarders, profiteers, and cartel operators who disrupt supply chains, jeopardize the livelihoods of Filipino farmers and fisherfolk, and undermine food security.
The council’s crackdown aims to restore stability and fairness to the agricultural sector, which has long been plagued by these illegal practices.
Additionally, the AAES discussed the creation of a Daily Price Index to monitor agricultural prices, with the DA’s Agribusiness and Marketing Assistance Service assigned to maintain it.
The DOF and Department of Trade and Industry (DTI) will also oversee the full implementation of the National Single Window for cargo clearance, aimed at curbing the flow of illegal imports.
The Council also constituted an Executive Committee that could be convened anytime in order to, among others, issue Letters of Authority — if intelligence information or evidence warrant — to the Enforcement Group to ensure compliance with Republic Act 12022.
The council is scheduled to meet quarterly, with special sessions convened as necessary to sustain momentum in addressing agricultural economic sabotage and ensure the protection of the country’s food supply chain, according to the DA. (GMA Integrated News)
