THE Philippine Bureau of Customs (BOC) has seized approximately P2 million worth of fresh onions imported from China, finding the shipment lacked necessary sanitary clearances.
The BOC’s Port of Manila (POM) office discovered that the 25,000 kilos of onions were missing the Sanitary and Phytosanitary Import Clearance (SPSIC) required by the Department of Agriculture-Bureau of Plant Industry (DA-BPI). The importer’s identity has not been disclosed.
“This recent seizure demonstrates our unwavering commitment to preventing non-compliant products from entering our markets,” stated BOC POM district collector Rizalino Jose Torralba.
The BOC, responsible for overseeing and controlling the clearance of vessels and aircraft involved in international trade, is tasked with collecting nearly P1 trillion in revenue this year. The agency generated P883.624 billion in revenues in 2023.
