Frozen fish found in P202-M misdeclared shipment from China; DA vows crackdown
Credit to Author: Dominique Nicole Flores| Date: Tue, 4 Mar 2025 18:17:00 +0800
MANILA, Philippines — After the Bureau of Customs (BOC) flagged 19 container vans with a misdeclared shipment that carried frozen fish worth P202 million, the Department of Agriculture (DA) said it will take action against those responsible.
During an inspection on Monday, March 3, the DA found that two of the 40-foot container vans contained boxes of frozen mackerel (alumahan) and frozen round scad (galunggong).
The shipment's manifest had declared 550 metric tons of frozen fried taro sticks, sweet potato balls and assorted food products from China. Importers had listed the cargo as processed plant-based commodities, but it instead contained fish.
“Kung nakalusot ito, then pupunta sa merkado, malamang ‘yung smugglers hindi na nila ipapababa ‘yung presyo, dahil they will try to make maximum profits for their risk,” Agriculture Secretary Francisco Tiu Laurel Jr. said.
(If this had slipped through and reached the market, the smugglers likely wouldn’t lower the prices, as they would try to maximize their profits for the risk they took.)
The two container vans were reportedly consigned to Straradava Household Products Co. Ltd., which means the company was listed as the intended recipient of the shipment.
The remaining 17 containers have yet to be inspected, but authorities said they were also consigned to a firm registered at the same Binondo, Manila address as Straradava — Fendee Consumer Goods Trading.
The DA also noted that the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) under the Department of Health (DOH) is responsible for overseeing processed plant-based foods.
Meanwhile, the Bureau of Fisheries and Aquatic Resources (BFAR) under the DA regulates imported fish and marine products.
“Papasok ito sa bagong Anti-Economic Sabotage Act. Talagang hahabulin namin ng BOC at ng FDA itong mga perpetrators na ito at we’ll bring them to justice,” Tiu Laurel added.
(This falls under the new Anti-Economic Sabotage Act. We, along with the BOC and FDA, will go after these perpetrators and bring them to justice.)
The BOC said the 19 container vans arrived at Manila’s South Harbor on January 21. The Bureau of Plant Industry (BPI) then ordered the BOC to hold their release for a spot inspection due to suspected misdeclaration of contents.
“Vineverify natin kung yung mga certificate of product registrations na present nila is legit po at nagdaan sa proseso ng FDA,” FDA Director General Samuel Zacate said on Monday.
(We are verifying whether the certificate of product registrations they presented are legitimate and have undergone the proper FDA process.)
The FDA issues this permit to authorize the registration of a health product before it can be marketed, imported, exported, distributed or sold.
According to a report by state media PTV News, the DA will assess whether the misdeclared frozen products are safe for human consumption and, if deemed suitable, donate them to the Department of Social Welfare and Development (DSWD) and Kadiwa centers.