Villar wants to reduce dependence on imported pork

Sen. Cynthia A. Villar is upbeat that hog producers' link and network with institutional markets such as restaurants and hotels will lessen their dependence on imported pork.

While recognizing the Filipinos' love for pork, Villar said it is imperative for our hog producers to provide consumers with good quality pork.

"The love for pork of our kababayans will remain so we need to find a good source of juicy, tender pork with the ideal meat-to-fat ratio at affordable price," noted Villar in her speech during the National Federation of Hog Farmers National Pig Day Celebration in Quezon City from March 1 up to 5.

The NatFed also set a Guinness Record for the most number of pork dishes on display and to be served.

The chairperson of the Senate committee on agriculture related that Filipinos consumed 15 kgs of pork, 11.6 kg of chicken and 3 kg of beef a year.

"We Pinoys love to eat meat particularly pork meat. We offer a variety of pork dishes. Some of the favorite pork dishes are - Lechon, Barbecue, Adobo, PocheroSinigang na Baboy, Tokwa at. Baboy, Dinuguan, Binagoongan,Kadios Baboy Langka or KBL, Pork SisigBagnet, Pork Bistek and Crispy Pata, among others."

According to the Philippine Statistics Authority, as of September 2023, the top five regions with the highest volume of hog production at live weight are Calabarzon, Central Luzon, Northern Mindanao, Central Visayas, Davao Region and Zamboanga Peninsula.

"And about 67.5 percent of the country's swine population came from small hold farms, while the remaining 29.2 percent and 3.3 percent were from commercial and semi-commercial farms, respectively," added the senator.

However, Villar lamented we were not spared the challenges facing the hog industry like the African Swine Flu (ASF).

The hog sector has registered P200 billion in losses since ASF cases were recorded in 2019.

The Bureau of Animal Industry in November 2023 said that only 11 provinces out of the 82 remain ASF free. They are Batanes, Occidental Mindoro, Palawan, Bohol, Siquijor, Biliran, Bukidnon, Basilan, Lanao del Sur, Sulu and Tawi-Tawi.

While no ASF vaccine has been approved, Villar said "we can only rely on our good animal husbandry practices in preventing disease and disease-causing agents to spread for our hog farmers to earn, attain their maximum farm yield, protect the consumer food supply by making available clean and safe hogs for slaughter."

As this developed, she renewed her call to stop agricultural smuggling to protect our local hog producers. She is asking both the house of Congress to finish the bicameral conference on Anti-Agricultural Economic Sabotage Bill.

Also, she urged Congress has to pass the Livestock Poultry and Dairy Bill and the Corn Bill soonest to finance the strengthening of the industries from tariffs collected on imported animal products and feeds.

Villar nais na mabawasan ang pag-asa sa imported na baboy

Natutuwa si Senator Cynthia Villar na ang link at network ng mga hog producers sa mga institutional markets gaya ng mga restaurant at hotel ay nagpapababa sa kanilang pag-asa sa imported na baboy.

Habang kinikilala ang pagmamahal ng mga Pilipino sa baboy, sinabi ni Villar na kailangan ng ating mga hog producers na magbigay sa mga mamimili ng magandang kalidad ng baboy.

"The love for pork of our kababayans will remain so we need to find a good source of juicy, tender pork with the ideal meat-to-fat ratio at affordable price', sabi ni Villar sa pagbubukas ng National Federation of Hog Farmers - National Pig Day Celebration sa Quezon City nitong March 1 at matatapos sa March 5.

Nagtakda rin ang NatFed ng Guinness Record para sa pinakamaraming bilang ng mga pagkaing baboy na nakahain.

Ikinuwento ng chairperson ng Senate committee on agriculture na ang mga Pilipino ay kumokonsumo ng 15 kg ng baboy, 11.6 kg ng manok at 3 kg ng karne ng baka sa isang taon.

"We Pinoys love to eat meat particular pork meat. We offer a variety of pork dishes. Some of the favorite pork dishes are - Lechon, Barbecue, Adobo, PocheroSinigang na Baboy, Tokwa at. Baboy, Dinuguan, Binagoongan, Kadios Baboy Langka or KBL, Pork SisigBagnet, Pork Bistek at Crispy Pata, bukod sa iba pa."

Ayon sa Philippine Statistics Authority, noong Setyembre 2023, ang nangungunang limang rehiyon na may pinakamataas na volume ng produksyon ng hog sa live weight ay ang Calabarzon, Central Luzon, Northern Mindanao, Central Visayas, Davao Region at Zamboanga Peninsula.

"At humigit-kumulang 67.5 porsiyento ng populasyon ng baboy sa bansa ay nagmula sa mga small hold farms, habang ang natitirang 29.2 porsiyento at 3.3 porsiyento ay mula sa commercial at semi-commercial farms, ayon sa pagkakabanggit," dagdag ng senador.

Gayunpaman, ikinalungkot ni Villar na hindi tayo naligtas sa mga hamon na kinakaharap ng industriya ng baboy tulad ng African Swine Flu (ASF).

Ang sektor ng baboy ay nakapagtala ng P200 bilyon na pagkalugi mula nang maitala ang mga kaso ng ASF noong 2019.

Sinabi ng Bureau of Animal Industry noong Nobyembre 2023 na 11 probinsya na lamang sa 82 ang nananatiling ASF free. Ang mga ito ay Batanes, Occidental Mindoro, Palawan, Bohol, Siquijor, Biliran, Bukidnon, Basilan, Lanao del Sur, Sulu at Tawi-Tawi.

Bagama't walang naaprubahang bakuna sa ASF, sinabi ni Villar na " we can only rely on our good animal husbandry practices in preventing disease and disease-causing agents to spread for our hog farmers to earn, attain their maximum farm yield, protect the consumer food supply by making available clean and safe hogs for slaughter."

Sa pag-unlad nito, muli siyang nanawagan na itigil ang smuggling ng agrikultura upang protektahan ang ating mga lokal na prodyuser ng baboy. Hinihiling niya sa kapuwa kapulungan ng Kongreso na tapusin ang bicameral conference sa Anti-Agricultural Economic Sabotage Bill.

Gayundin, hinimok niya ang Kongreso na ipasa ang Livestock Poultry and Dairy Bill at ang Corn Bill sa lalong madaling panahon upang tustusan ang pagpapalakas ng mga industriya mula sa mga taripa na kinokolekta sa mga imported na produktong hayop at feed.