By Genivi Factao

Dole Philippines, the country’s largest exporter of pineapple, would get the 29th of the 30 x-ray machines intended to be set up in the country’s major ports for the Bureau of Customs’ (BOC) non-intrusive scanning project.

"Dole is a multinational company, which has its own wharf, and it’s a big exporter to the US. The machine is already in Davao city wharf, but they are still working on the space requirements," Atty. Lourdes Mangaoang, chief of the bureau’s x-ray scanning team, said, adding that it would be operational by this month.

BOC agreed to the requests, citing the advantages the country would get in exporting their products.

"The biggest benefit it would create is for the economy, since RP is competing with other countries in getting their products to United States," she said claiming that at present, it is harder to get quota to US.

Mangaoang said the x-ray machine will be used to scan their products, majority are bound to United States.

Customs is nearing the completion of the deployment of a total of 30 x-ray machines.

The BOC’s x-ray inspectors will operate the machine which is exclusive for Dole’s exports of canned products and also for its imports.

DOLE, one of the biggest companies in the South is looking at expanding its business on the village of Ned in Lake Sebu town.

It has already made its presence felt in Surallah, South Cotabato and also has plans for expansion in China.

Mangaoang said the 30th or the last machine is being eyed for installation in the Port of Zamboanga, Cavite ecozone or in Japanese company Sumitomo, who has its own wharf in Davao.

"Zamboanga, is used as a back door. It is suspected that the weapons of mass destruction are smuggled in through Zamboanga port," she said.

She added that they are also considering Zamboanga in support to the trade facilitation agreement under the BIMP- EAGA.

Aside from Zamboanga, no x-ray machine is installed in Cavite ecozone.

"We hope that we will be able to finish the deployment by this month. We really have to study very well, where to deploy the last x-ray to be sure that all areas will be served," she said.

BOC wants to be ensured that all products bound to US will undergo 100 percent scanning as required by the new US law by 2012.

The machines were placed to facilitate the movement of goods, prevent the entry of anti- social goods and weapons of mass destruction, as well as collect proper taxes.