The Daily Tribune <<< Without Fear or Favor >>>

»HEADLINES

»NATION

Fil-Chinese group, FPI band to fight smuggling

By Ayen Infante

04/29/2008

The Federation of Filipino-Chinese Chamber of Commerce and Industries Inc. (FFCCCII) has agreed to form a partnership with the Federation of Philippine Industries (FPI) to address the country’s pressing concerns against smuggling.

FPI president Jesus Arranza said FFCCCII under the leadership of John Tan has agreed to jointly re-launch their “Buy Pinoy” with FPI’s “Pinoy Identity, Buy Local” under a consolidated campaign slogan “Buy Pinoy - Buy Local” at the General Assembly of the Federation of Philippine industries, where President Arroyo will be the guest of honor and keynote speaker. It will be held on Friday, May 2, 12 noon at the Grand Ballroom of the InterContinental Manila, Makati City.

Arranza said the campaign message to “Buy Pinoy,” the FFCCCII slogan, and ‘Buy Local,’ the FPI slogan, is not an empty, meaningless exhortation as it is aimed at twin objectives — one, to protect consumers from fake or imitation products which smuggled goods generally are, and two, to waste the termites feasting on our economy which smuggling is.”

He expressed sadness that not many show concern about the pernicious effect upon the nation of smuggling “as its implication is generally equated only with loss of customs revenues, hardly with the more serious damage it inflicts in terms of loss of jobs, less food on the table empty pockets for a great majority of the people especially the poor.”

“We don’t see indignation rallies denouncing smugglers, or street demonstrations proclaiming support for the men and women toiling silently to foil smuggling attempts, and actually catching smugglers. Not that I am a great fan of street rallies but any dramatic show of public displeasure over the activities of smugglers, and support for those who risk their necks fighting them cannot but have a positive effect on the campaign against smuggling,” Arranza said.