BOC, BAI at odds over 2020 pork imports data

The Bureau of Customs (BOC) and the Bureau of Animal Industry (BAI) have conflicting data on how many kilos of imported pork have entered the country last year.

Pork import figures discrepancy between the two agencies was cited by Senator Francis Pangilinan as he claimed that at least 30 million kilos of pork may have been smuggled into the Philippines in 2020.  

Pangilinan said that BOC data show that more than 225 million kilos of pork with a value of over P16 billion was imported in 2020, while the BAI, which conducts meat inspection, reported over 256 million kilos of pork imports for the same year.

Sought for clarification on the matter, BOC spokesperson Vincent Maronilla said that the data presented by the senator was accurate and is based on the data submitted by the Customs.

“Our data is based on actual importations that were processed and released by BOC,” Maronilla told GMA News Online.

BAI officer-in-charge director Reildrin Morales, however, said that his agency’s “source of data is the actual arrival as inspected by our quarantine officers.”

With this, BOC’s Maronilla said the Customs is “still verifying from the DA (Department of Agriculture) the basis of their data.” —LBG, GMA News