BOC orders stricter monitoring of China plywood

MANILA, Philippines - The Bureau of Customs (BOC) has ordered the stricter monitoring of imported plywood from China following reports from local manufacturers of rampant plywood smuggling.

Customs Commissioner Ruffy Biazon said yesterday he has ordered the BOC’sIntelligence Group under Deputy Commissioner Danilo Lim to monitor plywood importations, especially those coming from Tsing Tao, Qing Dao and Shandong, China.

This after the Philippine Wood Producers Association (PWPA) appealed to the BOC chief to help the local industry.

PWPA said plywood smuggling is not only hurting the local industry but shortchanging consumers as well.

They said that illegally imported plywood do not meet the mandatory standards set by the Bureau of Product Standards (BPS).

In response, Biazon said the BOC would step up efforts to address the problem.

 “We will not allow these sub-standard plywood to get through customs gates as it could pose grave danger to the country’s economy in general and construction industry, in particular.” Biazon said.

In its appeal to Biazon, the PWPA said plywood smuggling has already caused the loss of 10,000 to 15,000 jobs in the local industry.

Fearing that more jobs could be lost if plywood smuggling is not stopped, the PWPA, in a letter to  Biazon asked for the BOC’s heightened monitoring of all plywood shipment from China.

Smuggled plywood usually fetch lower prices than the locally produced ones, creating a significant price distortion in the local market, the PWPA also said.

“The technical smuggling of plywood has harmful effects on our local wood industry and our economy” PWPA president Antonio Olizon said in his letter to Biazon.

Biazon said all BOC ports have always been on a heightened alert level for any form of illegal importation.

“But we will take exception to the Philippine Wood Producers Association’s request. We shall undertake a double alert level in monitoring the country’s plywood importations from China,” Biazon said.

 — With Evelyn  Macairan