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Review importation policy: Senate Majority Leader Juan Miguel "Migz" Zubiri calls for a review of the Department of Agriculture’s (DA) policy on importation during the hybrid Committee of the Whole inquiry on the food security crisis brought about by the severe outbreak of African swine fever (ASF) Monday, April 12, 2021. “Importation should be the last resort of the DA. In other countries, importation is their last resort. They strengthen their agriculture industry. Take a look at Thailand and Vietnam, they strengthen their agriculture sector because that is food security. It’s been the policy of the DA to promote importation, whether it is rice, sugar or pork when there is a problem with prices. The position of the DA, the Department of Trade and Industry and other government agencies should be to help the farmers,” Zubiri pointed out. He said the Senate had warned the DA under then Sec. Emmanuel Piñol of the entry and expansion of the ASF in the country as early as March 20, 2019. (Screen grab/Senate PRIB)