MARIVELES, Bataan – The Municipality of Mariveles has issued an Executive Order establishing a coordinated local program to address and prevent the trade of contraband and illicit cigarettes, formalizing a unified enforcement and monitoring framework within the municipality.
Mayor Ace Jello C. Concepcion issued EO 008-S-2026 early this month, noting that Mariveles “faces unique vulnerabilities to smuggling activities that require heightened vigilance and coordinated enforcement.”
The order designates the Mariveles Anti-Contraband Task Force, led by the mayor, as the central coordinating body for enforcement operations. It mandates joint inspections, intelligence sharing, and supply chain monitoring across importation, storage, transport, and retail distribution.
Authorities are also directed to prioritize investigations and pursue prosecution not only of couriers but also of financiers and organizers involved in illicit trade. The measure further requires regular reporting of seizures, enforcement actions, and case outcomes to ensure accountability.
The local initiative comes as illicit trade continues to be flagged as a national enforcement and revenue concern.
During Senate discussions on illicit trade, Sen. Win Gatchalian warned that conviction rates remain extremely low despite thousands of seizures, noting that weak prosecution reduces deterrence and encourages continued smuggling activity.
Finance Secretary Ralph Recto has likewise emphasized the economic dimension of the issue, saying enforcement must be paired with proper tax policy calibration. “Zero percent tax, zero collection; a hundred percent tax, zero collection,” Recto said in a hearing, noting that excessive tax differentials can create incentives for illicit trade.
CitizenWatch Philippines convenor Orlando Oxales said coordinated local enforcement is essential to addressing the problem at the ground level. He has previously warned that illicit trade undermines public revenues and weakens enforcement credibility if supply chains are not systematically monitored and disrupted.
The Mariveles order explicitly frames illicit cigarette trade as a revenue crime and directs agencies to quantify losses and pursue appropriate legal and administrative action. It also requires coordinated monitoring of high-risk areas such as ports, warehouses, and distribution routes.
Local enforcement initiatives such as this are increasingly seen as important complements to national anti-smuggling efforts, particularly in areas with active logistics and trade corridors. Officials say the Mariveles framework provides a structured local mechanism to support interdiction, monitoring, and case build-up as part of broader efforts to curb illicit trade nationwide.
Policy observers note that the Mariveles initiative represents one of the most comprehensive local government responses to illicit cigarette trade in recent years, particularly in the period following the pandemic, when illicit trade activity surged in many areas.
By aligning enforcement, intelligence, regulatory oversight, and prosecution under a unified command structure, the municipality has established an operational model that other local governments may adopt to strengthen anti-smuggling efforts in their jurisdictions. Press release
