-
A data sharing agreement allows the Department of Agriculture and Bureau of Customs to share critical intelligence information for swift action
-
The agreement strengthens both agencies’ coordination on inspection and control procedures to ensure food safety and collection of correct customs duties
The Department of Agriculture (DA) and Bureau of Customs (BOC) signed a data sharing agreement (DSA) to facilitate exchange of data on traded agricultural commodities, primarily on unfair trade practices and surge of imports.
Signed on January 27 and governed by the Philippines’ Data Privacy Act, the DSA is one of the initiatives between DA and BOC that ensures local agri-fishery products will remain competitive with overseas counterparts, DA said in a statement.
Through the initiative, DA said critical and intelligence information can be shared between them and acted upon by each agency promptly. It also strengthens coordination on inspection and control procedures to support food safety and collection of the right amount of custom duties, among other mutual benefits.
“Credible and timely information is crucial in crafting policies, especially in this digital age,” Agriculture Secretary William Dar said.
Customs Commissioner Rey Leonardo Guerrero welcomed the initiative, noting BOC will ensure the implementation of trade remedy measures on agricultural goods is backed by solid and timely data.
In October last year, DA and BOC also signed a deal to implement a new set of measures to curtail the entry of smuggled agricultural commodities and guarantee an optimum level of food safety.
