The Bureau of Customs in  Negros  Oriental welcomed the  move  of  the  three  Negrense congressmen to arrest the possible entry of  smuggled  sugar  in  the  province.

The  proliferation  of  smuggled  sugar  will affect  the  local  sugar  producers since  most  smuggle goods  cost half of the existing market  price,  Customs collector  Medolita  Cabanag  said.

She said that the move to prevent sugar smuggling by Negros Oriental Reps. George Arnaiz, Henry Pryde Teves and Jocelyn Limkaichong is laudable, although she assured that there is a very slim  chance  for smuggled  sugar   to gain  entry  in  the province.

Last week tons of smuggled sugar from Thailand  were  confiscated by the  Bureau of Customs  in  Manila.

Cabanag said Negros  Oriental  is  a  sugar  producing  province and host to three sugar  milling  companies.

Aside from this, there are no food processing plants that need tons of  sugar in the province, she said, adding that some sugar  mills  even sell their  products to  neighboring  provinces  like  Cebu  and  Mindanao.

Cabanag said her office will be vigilant in monitoring the entry of goods in the province.*MA

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