Some 7 years ago, a bill was passed to prevent the undeterred smuggling of agri products. Seven years later on 18 May 2023, the Senate Committee on Agriculture, Food & Agrarian Reform chaired by Sen. Cynthia A. Villar and attended by Senators Robinhood Padilla,  Joseph Victor E. Ejercito & Risa Hontiveros called a hearing to review why no one has ever been indicted or jailed for smuggling, a non-bailable offense. Sen. Hontiveros placed PAGASA in the limelight by having the latter describe the ill-effects of illicit trade proliferating in our economy.