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Writer: DA Communications Group | 16 April 2022
Agriculture Secretary William Dar over the weekend vowed to accentuate efforts to weed out corruption inside the Division of Agriculture (DA), saying that he is not going to hesitate to place heads on the chopping block for alleged involvement in smuggling of agri-fishery merchandise.
“We strongly condemn smuggling, which deprives our farmers and fishers of their incomes and livelihood,” Secretary Dar mentioned in mild of the current probe carried out by the Senate Committee of the Entire.
“Smuggling is a systemic drawback. That’s why we’ve been constant in warning any official or employees of our ‘OneDA Household’ who cudgel smugglers. We is not going to hesitate to file administrative costs in opposition to them. We are going to act swiftly and decisively in opposition to these concerned amongst our ranks, whether or not rank-and-file workers or high-ranking officers,” he added.
Secretary Dar mentioned that the DA has been and is constantly working carefully with the Bureau of Customs (BOC) and different associate companies within the Sub-Process Group on Financial Intelligence (STG-EI) in guarding and strengthening border safety efforts; whereas on the identical time, offering the much-needed logistics and infrastructure help for native producers.
“Admittedly, there’s a necessity for us to additional strengthen our built-in regulatory enforcement unit such because the STG-EI and the nation’s first border safety,” the DA chief mentioned.
“Whereas we proceed to be vigilant in opposition to unlawful actions and smuggling of agri-fishery merchandise, these efforts will stay palliative if our border controls will stay flimsy,” he added.
Secretary Dar additionally referred to as on lawmakers to supply budgetary help that will enable the BOC and DA to transition to a centralized digital system to combat smuggling.
“A centralized digital system, which we’ve been advocating as one of many pillars of our ‘OneDA’ Reform Agenda, would tackle discrepancies in knowledge,” Dar mentioned.
“If all the things is automated, and there’s much less human intervention, there’s transparency in any respect ranges of transactions,” he mentioned. ### (Rita dela Cruz, DA StratComms)
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