The Department of Agriculture (DA) will establish First Border Inspection (FBI) facilities to strengthen the inspection of imported meat, vegetables and other farm and fishery products that enter the Philippines. The FBI will check the permits, quality and safety of imported products.
The facilities will be established at the Manila South Harbor, Subic Freeport Zone, Batangas, Davao and Cebu International Airport. Laboratories will be created in each facility to inspect the agricultural products suspected to carry diseases or hazardous content. A crematorium will also be put up for the disposal of products with quarantine violation.
The DA has allotted a budget of Php 2 billion for the project and will be started at the Manila International Container Port (MICP) in coordination with the Bureau of Customs (BOC). DA Secretary William Dar trusts that the FBI facilities will halt the entry of smuggled agri-products and possible threats to the industry. – Report from Cleizl Pardilla
