By Liza Soriano
MANILA — Senator Imee Marcos on Friday (08 Dec 2023) expressed the view that the government should take legal action against those involved in smuggling agricultural products.
Marcos stressed that merely conducting raids is insufficient; legal cases should be initiated.
“The government should go after smugglers. Enough with the photo ops and raids; let’s file cases. Let’s apprehend the smugglers,” the senator urged.
“It appears that some smugglers may also be operating as legal importers, falsely declaring shortages,” she added.
Emphasizing the importance of investing in agriculture, Marcos pointed out the need for infrastructure improvements.
“We need to invest in agricultural infrastructure. Just consider our irrigation systems and dams. Angat Dam, Magat Dam, Pantabangan—these are outdated,” she stated.
“We should prioritize buying locally because if we heavily depend on imports, what happens when there’s no one available to sell them to us? While we may import as necessary, we must minimize these imports, especially during the harvest season,” the senator concluded.
(ai/mnm)
