PRESIDENT Ferdinand Marcos Jr. has directed the Department of Agriculture (DA) to draft the implementing rules and regulations for increasing imports of low-tariff pork, Secretary Francisco Tiu Laurel Jr. said on Friday.
In the process, the DA would hold consultations with hog raisers, meat processors, and lawmakers, Tiu Laurel said.
There must be a balance between protecting consumers from high prices, safeguarding the viability of local hog producers, and honoring the country’s international trade commitments, Tiu Laurel noted.
“The objective is to stabilize supply and prices without weakening the long-term competitiveness of the domestic swine industry,” the Agri chief said.
Executive Order 116, which Marcos signed through Executive Secretary Ralph Recto, raised the minimum access volume (MAV) for pork to 204,210 metric tons from the previous 54,210 MT to ensure supplies and lower prices amid losses caused by African swine fever (ASF).
The order comes as the government braces for heightened inflationary pressure from surging global fuel prices following the war in the Middle East. Rising fuel costs had pushed transport, logistics, and food prices, causing government to impose measures against another spike in headline inflation.
The MAV Management Committee (MMC) is tasked to ensure a fair allocation of imported pork volumes, with 30,000 MT allotted for processors, and 120,000 MT for the Food Terminal Inc. or the Kadiwa ng Pangulo program.
The DA has acknowledged concerns that lower tax collections from imported pork could affect funding for the proposed Animal Industry Development and Competitiveness Act, which will allocate P20 billion annually for livestock development using revenues from meat and poultry tariffs.
“What we plan to pursue is a calibrated approach, where imports temporarily address supply gaps while the government continues investing in rebuilding domestic hog production capacity, strengthening biosecurity, and improving long-term industry resilience,” Tiu Laurel said.
