DoF orders tighter watch on rice imports

Finance Secretary Carlos Dominguez 3rd has directed the Bureau of Customs (BoC) to strictly monitor incoming rice shipments to ensure the proper collection of taxes following the issuance of an executive order (EO) harmonizing the tariff rates on imports at 35 percent for a period of one year.

Dominguez issued this directive after President Duterte issued EO 135 that temporarily modified tariff rates on rice imports in a bid to offset the effect of the continued increase in rice prices from other countries particularly those from the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (Asean).