The Philippines Bureau of Customs (BOC) and the Sugar Regulatory Administration (SRA) have signed a memorandum of understanding (MOU) that aims to prevent sugar smuggling.

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Customs Commissioner Titus Villanueva, who signed the MOU with SRA Administrator James Ledesma, revealed that it “will help facilitate trade and accelerate the growth of the country’s sugar industry.” He stressed however “the joint memo shall ensure that the system will not prejudice the speedy processing of clearance for lawfully imported sugar shipments”.


The predominant feature of the MOU is an agreement to establish an Imported Sugar Quality Monitoring System, which will regulate customs duties and value-added tax applications prior to the BOC issuing clearance for sugar imports.

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