THE Bureau of Customs (BOC) on Tuesday clarified that there are no more pending rice shipment at the Mindanao Container Terminal (MCT) or in any other ports in the city as they now have two working X-Ray equipment used to examine all of the shipments coming in at the port in Tagoloan, Misamis Orientlal.
"There was no hoarding, our ports were just congested, maraming pina-process kasi hindi na utilize ang backup X-Ray. Slight delay lang yung nangyari," lawyer Floro Calixihan of the BOC said.
It can be recalled that tons of rice shipment was found by authorities in Tagoloan over the weekend.
But Calixihan said since last week, the release of all rice shipments was already normalized, and that there is no more congestion at the ports. He also pointed out that there are no more pending rice in Tagoloan as of now.
The statement was made on Tuesday, September 18, in a committee meeting of the trade and commerce chaired by City Councilor George Goking.
Goking also said that he expects rice supply in the market will improve in the coming weeks, as ports prioritize the release of rice shipment amid the large spike of commercial rice prices in the market.
"We actually have a good team, the police is also cooperating with the NBI and the NFA so we can really verify reports of rice hoarders in the city," he said.