Farmers cheer declaration of state of calamity due to ASF

May 12 ------ The Samahang Industriya ng Agrikultura (SINAG) on Tuesday welcomed the declaration of a state of calamity as the local hog sector continues to be crippled by the African swine fever (ASF). In a statement, the farmers' group thanked the Senate for pushing for the declaration of the state of calamity and urging the reduction of the minimum access volume (MAV) for pork.

"Again, another moral victory for the local hog industry and the agriculture sector in general," SINAG chairperson Rosendo So said. "We continue to look forward in working with the Senate, which is now the de facto Department of Agriculture, as the very agency that is mandated to protect local agriculture opted to side with the importers and unscrupulous traders from the onset," he added. Under Presidential Proclamation 1143, Duterte placed the entire Philippines under a state of calamity for one year, unless earlier lifted or extended.

The declaration is said to give the national government and local government units ample latitude to utilize appropriate funds, including the quick response fund (QRF), in their response efforts to contain the spread of ASF. "We request the Senate to continue its vigilance by ensuring that those affected by ASF be compensated and the funds to be realigned will go to the rehabilitation of the industry and not spent on purchasing freezers for the importers or other publicity stunt to improve the image of the pro-importation Secretary," said So.

The presence of ASF in the Philippines was confirmed in 2019. The DA blamed the outbreak mainly on imports from China and the practice of swill feeding. President Rodrigo Duterte last month signed Executive Order 128 which lowers the tariff rate for imported pork meat within the MAV, in efforts to boost supplies. The measure provides that fresh, chilled, or frozen pork imports are taxed 5% for the first three months upon effectivity and 10% from the fourth to 12th month. Prior to this, tariffs were set at 30% to 40%.

Source: gmanetwork.com