STATEMENT OF SENATOR RISA HONTIVEROS ON THE LOWERING OF TARIFFS ON IMPORTED PORK MEAT

It is very disappointing that Malacanang decided to lower tariffs on imported pork to allow for even more pork imports. Clearly, hog revival is not part of its plan. Sa lagay na ito, parang tinalikuran at sinukuan na ang mga lokal nating magbababoy.

First, the Palace only allowed the Department of Agriculture (DA) a measly P200M for its restocking program that will replace pigs that have been decimated by the African Swine Fever (ASF).

Second, while we welcome the increased insurance coverage for ASF-hit pigs as well as the impending price caps on imported pork, in the context of a deluge of imports, zero border inspection and absent biosafety investments in the rural areas, these measures remain futile. These will not neutralize the drowning effect of the flood of pork imports on the local hog industry.

Ikatlo, pinayagan nilang mag-angkat ng P14B halaga ng imported meat pero hindi naman napalakas ang border control para mapigilang makapasok ang ASF sa bansa. May peligro sa imports at papasok na uninspected frozen meats, pati ang mga hog-raisers sa Visayas at MIndanao na hindi tinamaan ng African Swine Fever.

Ikaapat, the Bureau of Animal industry is still relying on local government units which are unprepared when it comes to the scale of the biosafety capabilities needed to battle the virus in rural areas.

Ikalima, wala pang budget proposal for 2022 para sa mass testing ng mga baboy to allow early detection and culling. Wala ring ikakasang financial assistance para sa maliliit na hog raisers na mawawalan ng hanapbuhay dahil sa pagbagsak ng industriya dulot ng massive importation.

We refuse to accept this capitulationist stance.

We continue to demand adequate budgets for 2022 to support bio-safety, restocking and sufficient insurance coverage that will help revive the local hog-industry. We, at the Senate, fervently hope that things can still be turned around.

Kailanman ay hindi maitatama ang mali ng isa pang pagkakamali. Hanggang kailan pa ba kailangang magsakripisyo at magtiis ng ating mga magbababoy at konsyumer bago pakinggan ang kanilang mga hinaing?

We need to be sending signals of hope for our hog-raisers. We don't want the government slaughtering off the industry now, in tandem with, the ASF virus.