“This not only harms the economy but fosters corruption at multiple levels,” said Agriculture Secretary Francisco Tiu Laurel in a news release last week (July 14), as he detailed the President’s marching orders to go after smugglers, their backers, and enablers with the full force of the law.

Secretary Tiu Laurel confirmed that he has already met with newly appointed Bureau of Customs Commissioner Ariel Nepomuceno, National Security Adviser Eduardo Año, Philippine National Police Chief Gen. Nicolas Torre, and officials from the Criminal Investigation and Detection Group (CIDG) to craft a joint strategy targeting the syndicates flooding local markets with illegal imports.

“The President has directed the DA to throw the book at the consignees and all those involved in smuggling these agricultural products. By the end of the year, we hope to see many of those responsible handcuffed, facing charges,” said Secretary Tiu Laurel.

He added that customs brokers who facilitate these illegal shipments will also be held accountable under the Anti-Agricultural Economic Sabotage Law, the Food Safety Act, and the Customs Code.

Uninspected imports—many of which come from Port of Xiamen in China—pose serious threats not only to local livelihoods but also to public health and biosecurity, with potential risks to the country’s plant and livestock industries. The government has since heightened surveillance on shipments from the Chinese port, which has been identified as a major exit point for smuggled agricultural goods.

The President’s directive comes amid growing outrage from farmers’ groups and industry stakeholders who have long decried how smuggling devastates farmgate prices, destabilizes local production, and rewards criminality at the expense of the country’s food sovereignty.