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SP Sotto resumes CoW hearing on ASF problem: Senate President Vicente C. Sotto III leads the continuation of the Committee of the Whole’s (COW) hybrid hearing on the food security crisis brought about by the severe outbreak of the African swine fever (ASF). Sotto said the committee invited new resource persons in order to get “sensible and clear answers” to the pressing questions raised during the previous COW hearing, such as the basis used by the Department of Agriculture (DA) in coming up with the 400,000 metric tons as the recommended increase in the minimum access volume, on the “real” need to lower pork import tariff and if the move could address pork price problem in the market as well as on food security, and if there were indeed fraudulent activities surrounding the importation of meat involving some officials among others. “Today, my esteemed colleagues, the committee invited new resources persons in the hope of being able to answer these lingering questions from this representation and the members of the committee. In that way, this committee could provide informed recommendations and craft appropriate legislations to efficiently respond to the ASF problem,” Sotto said Thursday, April 15, 2021. (Henzberg Austria/Senate PRIB)