Agriculture Secretary Bernie Fondevilla has vowed to protect the country from invasive pests and diseases carried by cheap imported food items, vegetables and plants that have been flooding the domestic market. Under the law, the Department of Agriculture (DA) is mandated to impose the strict implementation of biosecurity and quarantine protocols on imported goods. The dismantling of tariff walls by the Arroyo government has worsened the problem since more and more food items are entering the market to the consternation of Filipino farmers, hog raisers, poultry breeders, fishermen and aquaculture investors.

Benaning, M. N. (2010, March 25). DA vows to impose stricter biosecurity, quarantine rules. Manila Bulletin, p. 2.