President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. has approved the sale of 4,000 metric tons of smuggled sugar seized by the government at P70 per kilo through the Kadiwa stores operated by the Department of Agriculture (DA) to make sugar prices more affordable. The move was defended by Malacañang, citing the Customs Modernization and Tariff Act which allows confiscated smuggled agricultural products to be given as a donation to government agencies. The government’s office also assured the public that the smuggled sugar sold through Kadiwa stores is safe for consumption as it has passed food safety standards. Furthermore, the distribution of the seized sugar for free could trigger an artificial decrease in prices which would negatively affect the industry. The PCO added that confiscated smuggled agricultural products under the CMTA may be given as a donation to other government agencies.
