MANILA — The Bureau of Customs (BOC) on Friday said it will donate assorted items such as clothes and blankets to victims of Typhoon Ompong that ravaged northern Luzon almost a week ago.
“This week, we will be donating again several goods to our affected kababayan. Among of which are 109 packages of emergency survival blanket, 153 packages of mask, 350 boxes of bedsheets/blankets/towel, and 1,332 boxes of clothes,” BOC Commissioner Isidro Lapena in a statement.
Aside from the said good, he noted that some 6,000 bags of rice will be donated.
“The Port of Zamboanga will also donate 6,921 bags of glutinous rice to those affected by the typhoon,” the BOC chief said.
“We will be donating more goods in the coming days,” he added.
Last week, Lapena ordered the release of 7,000 sacks of rice from the Port of Cebu for donation to those affected by the storm.
Meanwhile, the BOC seized PHP16 million worth smuggled onions at the Manila International Container Port (MICP).
The eight suspected containers arrived at MICP on August 14 was declared to contain 20,000 cartons of fresh apple and was consigned to ASD Total Package Enterprises Inc.
It was intercepted through the directive of the Commissioner to alert all incoming shipment of consignees with smuggling record.
Earlier this month, six containers of ASD declared as apples were seized by MICP for misdeclaration of PHP12 million worth of onions.
The consignee will face criminal raps for violating Section 1400 (Misdeclaration, Misclassification, Undervaluation in Goods Declaration) in relation to Section 1113 (Property Subject to Seizure and Forfeiture) of the Customs Modernization and Tariff Act.
The owner and the signing customs broker, Michael Miranda Sumile, will face charges for violating Republic Act No. 10845 also known as Anti-Agricultural Smuggling Act of 2016.
Customs authorities at the MICP also uncovered during their inspection, one 40-footer abandoned shipment containing 675 master cases of Chinese cigarettes.
The shipment which was consigned to Pan Subic Brother Manufacturing arrived at the port on June 13, 2017 from China. (Ferdinand Patinio/PNA)
