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The Bureau of Customs reiterated the need for import clearances for meat and food products before these are released from ports
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BOC will strictly enforce a prescription by the Food Safety Act of 2003 that food shipments must be inspected and cleared by the DA and DOH at their first port of entry
The Bureau of Customs said it is strictly implementing the rule requiring import clearances for meat and food products issued by the Department of Agriculture (DA) and Department of Health (DOH) before products are released from ports, the agency said in a statement.
BOC said the Food Safety Act of 2003 requires that imported food shipments undergo inspection and clearance procedures by the DA and DOH “at the first port of entry to determine compliance with national regulations.”
During first border inspection, BOC, along with DA and DOH, examines only 10% of the subject container.
Full physical examination will be conducted only during second border inspection by DA agencies, the Bureau of Animal Industry, Bureau of Plant Industry, and Bureau of Fisheries and Aquatic Resources, at their accredited warehouses.
Accordingly, the DA and DOH will determine whether an imported meat or food product is contaminated by a disease, such as the avian influenza (H5N1) or bird flu virus.
BOC said it has been cascading the list of countries affected by the H5N1 virus to all its ports and has been very vigilant in implementing the rules.
DA and BOC signed early this year a data-sharing agreement to facilitate exchange of information on traded agricultural commodities, primarily on unfair trade practices and surge of imports.
In October last year, DA and BOC also signed a deal to implement a new set of measures to curtail the entry of smuggled agricultural commodities and guarantee optimum level of food safety.
DA also said earlier it would establish at six ports the Philippines’ first border inspection (FBI) facilities to be used in inspecting imported animals, plants, meat, and other farm and fishery products.
The FBIs will be set up at two Manila ports, Cebu, Batangas, Subic, and Davao. Last year, DA and Subic Bay Metropolitan Authority agreed in principle to establish the first cold examination facility area for Subic port, the first of the planned FBIs.
