(File photo)
QUEZON CITY, (PIA) — About 4,000 metric tons or 80,000 bags of confiscated Thailand white sugar were donated by the Bureau of Customs (BOC) to the Department of Agriculture (DA) to be distributed to communities through government food programs.
The Deed of Donation and Acceptance was signed Wednesday between BOC Commissioner Bienvenido Y. Rubio and DA Senior Undersecretary Domingo F. Panganiban.
In a report, said bags of sugar were seized on January 12, 2023 when it arrived at the Port of Batangas loaded with the M/V Sunward but it was found that there was no corresponding Notice of Arrival. It was finally in the hands of the government in a decision on April 12.
“[Seized sugar with commercial value and capable of legitimate use may be disposed of by the BOC through donation to government institutions”, it is said in Paragraph D.1 of Sugar Regulatory Administration (SRA) Memorandum Circular No. 4 series of 2022-2023.
On July 21, the Department of Finance approved the proposed donation of 4,000 MT of refined sugar to the DA.
Rubio said he hopes that through the DA, such donation will reach different local communities and poor Filipinos will have access to sugar. (PIA-NCR)
