The House Committee on Agriculture and Food, presided by Rep. Wilfrido Mark M. Enverga (1st District, Quezon), approved House Bill (HB) No. 3917, which seeks to amend the Anti-Agricultural Smuggling Act to include and classify cigarette smuggling as economic sabotage, on November 15, at the House of Representatives, Batasan Complex in Quezon City.
HB No. 3917, or “An Act Amending Sections 3 and 4 of Republic Act No. 10845, otherwise Known as the Anti-Agricultural Smuggling Act of 2016 and for Other Purposes,” was principally authored by presidential son, senior Deputy Majority Leader Ferdinand Alexander A. Marcos (1st District, Ilocos Norte) and Rep. Margarita Ignacia B. Nograles (PBA Party list).
The proposed measure seeks to amend key provisions of Anti-Agricultural Smuggling Act to include tobacco, whether manufactured or unmanufactured, and finished products such as cigars, cigarettes or heated tobacco products (HTPs), with a minimum excise tax and VAT payable in PhP1,000,000.00, in the coverage of large-scale agricultural smuggling as economic sabotage.
The Committee discussed the substantial losses to government’s collection brought about by tobacco illicit trade and smuggling, and the important role law enforcement agencies plays to deter the proliferation of these activities, particularly the Bureau of Customs.
The National Tobacco Administration (NTA), as the government’s sole tobacco regulatory agency, gave its position to HB 3917.
Acting Deputy Administrator for Operations Dr. Giovanni B. Palabay, representing NTA Administrator/CEO Robert Victor G. Seares, Jr. in the meeting, vowed the agency’s strong support to the approval of the proposed measure in curbing out illicit tobacco trading or agricultural smuggling as a key component to bringing more collections to government coffers
“This is critical for our country’s economic relief and recovery efforts,” Palabay said.
HB 3917 was unanimously approved upon motion of Rep. Grace Kristine Singson-Meehan (2nd District, Ilocos Sur), duly seconded by Rep. Estrellita B. Suansing (1st District, Nueva Ecija).