MANILA-The time when balikbayans can bring in hundreds of pounds of fresh fruits and vegetables to Manila as pasalubongs during the Christmas season is gone.
Plant Quarantine officials have now begun enforcing a little enforced rules barring the entry of fresh fruits such as apples, grapes and vegetables as holiday pasalubongs for their relatives in the Philippines.
On Monday, Nov. 6, Philippine airport authorities warned inbound travelers against bringing in those sweet-smelling apples, oranges and other vegetables and even meat, in the face of mounting evidence confiscated from passengers unaware that such items need import permits.
The Plant Quarantine Office said many
passengers are not aware of the restrictions imposed on bringing these items
into the country.
So far, about a ton of such fresh foods
have been seized and destroyed by authorities since September, regarded as the
start of the Christmas season.
Customs and quarantine officials said
many passengers were dismayed when their gifts were taken out of their hands
and consigned to the incinerator at the Nayong Pilipino.
According to Collector Carmelita Talusan,
customs officials have instructions to turn over any quantity of fruits,
vegetables and meat brought in by passengers to quarantine officials on duty at
the Naia, to determine whether the carriers have the proper documents.
Talusan, the customs arrival area
operations chief, said many balikbayan and overseas Filipino workers (Ofw) are
not aware of the restrictions. She said that apparently, fruits in season could
be had cheaply in foreign countries, so that these become the favorite gifts
brought in by returning Filipinos.
So far, about one ton of apples, oranges,
pomelo, guava, grapes, bamboo shoots, bitter gourd (ampalaya), broccoli,
Chinese pechay and other vegetables, with an estimated value of P1 million,
have been destroyed by burning at the Plant Quarantine’s disposal facility near
the airport.
The authorities seize about 100 kilograms
of fruits and veggies daily from travelers, usually from Taiwan, China, the
United States, Thailand, Singapore and Vietnam.
The country, relying heavily on its
agricultural products, has banned the importation of fruits, vegetables and
flowers without permits in order to prevent the entry of wood borers, weevils
and other plant insects that may damage our local produce.
