PORK TARIFF REDUCTION LAMENTED CITING STRONG OPPOSITION FROM HOG INDUSTRY

Assistant Minority Leader and ACT Teachers Rep. France Castro has slammed President Duterte for signing Executive Order 128 that lowered the tariff on fresh, chilled, or frozen pork and increased the allowable volume of imported pork.

Castro said Duterte issued EO 128 despite strong opposition from hog raisers and producers nationwide and while Congress was in recess.

"Lowering tariff rates while increasing allowable volume of imported pork products is a death sentence to local producers and hog raisers. The increase in supply in pork does not even necessarily mean prices will go down for consumers."

"Despite strong opposition from hog raisers and producers nationwide, President Duterte still chose to sign the executive order that further threatens the lives and livelihood of local hog raisers and producers and the farmers that rely on hog raising. These people have already been badly hit by the African Swine Fever (ASF) that the Department of Agriculture (DA) failed to address, EO 128 will destroy the industry and will not do anything to help the Filipino people," Castro added.

"Like its handling with the COVID-19 pandemic, the Duterte administration continues to play deaf ears with the demands of local producers and farmers groups hardest hit by the ASF. They are demanding concrete plans and programs to accelerate the re-population of hog stock that is now nearly wiped out by ASF and a stop to excessive importation. They need government support in the agriculture industry," the ACT-Teachers lawmaker said.

Castro concluded that such policies kill the livelihood of the people as the lack of a comprehensive plan likewise neglects their legitimate demands for aid and stifles their capability to recover.

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