MANILA - The Bureau of Customs (BOC) has collected a total of PHP18.9 billion in duties from rice imports in 2021. In his report during a recent Department of Finance (DOF) executive committee (Execom) meeting, Customs Commissioner Rey Leonardo Guerrero said last year's collection from rice imports was 22 percent higher than the PHP15.5 billion collected in 2020. Import duties collected from rice imports starting March 5, 2019 go to the annual PHP10-billion Rice Competitiveness Enhancement Fund (RCEF) as provided under Republic Act 11203, or the Rice Tariffication Law (RTL). The RCEF is used to finance programs that will sharpen the competitiveness of palay (rice grain) growers by providing them easy access to fertilizer, farm machinery and equipment, high-yield seeds and cheap credit; and offering skills training programs on farm mechanization and modern farming techniques. For pork imports, Guerrero said the BOC collected PHP3.75 billion between April 9, 2021 to Jan. 28, 2022 fro