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President Ferdinand Marcos, Jr. on December 14 led the donation of 21 containers of frozen mackerel valued at PhP178.5 million seized by the Bureau of Customs
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The donation was formalized through a Deed of Donation and Acceptance signed by Customs commissioner Bienvenido Rubio and Agriculture Secretary Francisco Tiu-Laurel Jr.
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An estimated 150,000 families are expected to benefit from the donation
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Beneficiaries are marginalized barangays across 17 local government units (LGUs) in the National Capital Region as well as one LGU each in Region 3 and Region 4-A
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The beneficiaries will include individuals in city jails, public hospitals, and various care facilities
President Ferdinand Marcos, Jr. led the donation of 21 containers of frozen mackerel valued at PhP178.5 million seized by the Bureau of Customs (BOC).
The donation was formally turned over to the Department of Agriculture (DA) on December 14, 2024, during the President’s inspection at the Manila International Container Port (MICP).
The shipment arrived at the MICP on September 28 and 29, 2024, without the necessary Sanitary and Phytosanitary Import Clearance from the Bureau of Fisheries and Aquatic Resources (BFAR). As a result, the goods were deemed abandoned and forfeited in favor of the government.
READ: BOC intercepts frozen mackerel worth P178.5M
The BFAR-Fisheries Certification Section confirmed the shipment’s importer, Pacific Sealand Foods Corp., had not submitted an application for mackerel from August 30 to September 16, 2024.
Following the confiscation, Agriculture Secretary Francisco Tiu Laurel, Jr. instructed BFAR to perform laboratory tests to assess the frozen mackerel’s safety for human consumption, as it is intended to be distributed to communities affected by the recent typhoons.
The donation was formalized through a Deed of Donation and Acceptance signed by Customs commissioner Bienvenido Rubio and Agriculture Secretary Francisco Tiu-Laurel, Jr.
During the event, the BOC and the Department of Finance witnessed the signing of a Memorandum of Agreement between the DA and the Department of Social Welfare and Development (DSWD).
The President together with DSWD, DA, and Department of the Interior and Local Government will distribute the donation to marginalized barangays across the 17 Local Government Units (LGUs) in the National Capital Region, as well as one LGU each in Region 3 and Region 4-A.
The beneficiaries will include individuals in city jails, public hospitals, and various care facilities. An estimated 150,000 families are expected to benefit from the donation, which will begin distribution on the same day.
The donation “highlights President Marcos’ dedication to ensuring the availability of essential food supplies for Filipino communities, while reinforcing the government’s commitment to transparency and lawful processes,” according to BOC in a statement.
