IMEE: AGRI IMPORT FACILITY'S LOCATION IS SUSPICIOUS

Senator Imee Marcos has called on the Department of Agriculture (DA) to justify its choice of Subic as the future site of a Php500-million, laboratory-equipped "cold examination facility" for agricultural imports - the first of its kind in the country.

Marcos fears the higher risk of another African Swine Fever (ASF) outbreak if the facility's first-border inspections are not based instead in Manila, where most meat imports are shipped.

"What's cooking in Subic, that imported meat and crops must be diverted away from Manila?" Marcos asked.

"Ini-import na natin lahat ng pagkain. Pati ba naman sakit? (We're already importing all kinds of food. Must diseases be imported too?)," she added.

Marcos also said that food imports will become more expensive for Metro Manila's 12 million residents due to the additional cost of delivery from Subic.

A July 18 briefer of the Department of Agriculture recommended the facility's location, funding, and construction by June 2023 to President Ferdinand Marcos Jr., who concurrently heads the agency.

Bureau of Animal Industry (BAI) insiders said the project, first proposed in 2019 but whose funding lapsed in 2020, could have been built last year in Manila's South Harbor, where a vacant 5,000-square-meter lot known as Block 162 was being managed by Asian Terminals Inc. under a concession granted by the Philippine Ports Authority.

But they added that former DA Secretary William Dar and BAI Director Reildrin Morales had pushed for construction of the laboratory-equipped facility in either Subic or Cebu.

"It's been nine years since the Food Safety Act became law, but first-border inspections have not been properly enforced. The facility's location is key to achieving food safety and security," Marcos said.

Although ASF cases have subsided since nationwide outbreaks began in 2019, Marcos warned that a major outbreak could again be triggered by contaminated pork imports and cause business closures and job losses in the swine industry, a shortage of pork products, and a further increase in already high market prices of pork.

Pork imports amounting to 545,213,681 kilos made up about 54% of total meat imports from January to September this year, according to the BAI.

Spain, Canada, and Brazil have supplied 61% of the Philippines' pork requirements, with Belgium, the United States, Denmark, the United Kingdom, France, and the Netherlands supplying the rest.

IMEE: LOKASYON NG AGRI IMPORT FACILITY, KADUDA-DUDA

Nanawagan si Senator Imee Marcos sa Department of Agriculture (DA) na bigyang-katwiran ang pagpili nito sa Subic na magiging site ng Php500-million, laboratory-equipped "cold examination facility" para sa agricultural imports - ang una sa uri nito sa bansa.

Nangangamba si Marcos sa mas mataas na panganib ng isa pang African Swine Fever (ASF) outbreak kung ang mga first-border inspection ng pasilidad ay hindi nakabase sa Maynila, kung saan ipinadadala ang karamihan sa mga imported na karne.

"Ano ang niluluto sa Subic, na ang imported na karne at mga pananim ay inililihis sa Maynila?" tanong ni Marcos.

"Ini-import na natin lahat ng pagkain. Pati ba naman sakit?," dagdag ng senadora.

Sinabi rin ni Marcos na ang pag-import ng pagkain ay magiging mas mahal para sa 12 milyong residente ng Metro Manila dahil sa karagdagang gastos sa paghahatid mula sa Subic.

Isang July 18 briefer ng Department of Agriculture ang nagrekomenda ng lokasyon, pagpopondo, at pagtatayo ng pasilidad sa Hunyo 2023 kay Pangulong Ferdinand Marcos Jr., na kasalukuyang namumuno sa ahensya.

Ayon sa mga tagaloob sa Bureau of Animal Industry (BAI) ang proyekto, na unang iminungkahi noong 2019 ngunit nalipasan ang pondo noong 2020, ay maaaring itayo noong nakaraang taon sa South Harbor ng Maynila kung saan may isang bakanteng 5,000-square-meter na lote, na kilala bilang Block 162, na pinamamahalaan ng Asian Terminals Inc. sa ilalim ng konsesyon na ipinagkaloob ng Philippine Ports Authority.

Pero idinagdag nila na sina dating Agriculture Secretary William Dar at BAI Director Reildrin Morales ang nagtulak para sa pagtatayo ng laboratory-equipped facility sa Subic o Cebu.

"Siyam na taon na ang nakalipas mula nang maging batas ang Food Safety Act, ngunit ang mga inspeksyon sa first-border ay hindi naipapatupad ng maayos. Ang lokasyon ng pasilidad ang susi sa pagtiyak ng kaligtasan at seguridad sa pagkain," diin ni Marcos.

Bagama't humupa ang mga kaso ng ASF mula nang magkaroon ng outbreak nito sa buong bansa noong 2019, nagbabala si Marcos na ang isang malaking outbreak ay maaaring ma-trigger muli ng mga kontaminadong pag-import ng baboy at magdulot ng pagsasara ng negosyo at pagkawala ng trabaho sa industriya ng baboy, kakulangan ng mga produktong baboy, at higit pang pagtaas sa presyo ng baboy sa merkado.

Ang mga produktong baboy na umabot ng 545,213,681 kilos ay bumubuo ng humigit-kumulang 54% ng kabuuang inangkat na karne mula Enero hanggang Setyembre ngayong taon, ayon sa BAI.

Ang Spain, Canada, at Brazil ang nag-supply ng 61% ng mga kinakailangan na baboy ng Pilipinas, habang ang iba nama'y sinu-supply ng Belgium, United States, Denmark, United Kingdom, France, at Netherlands.