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Lacson questions push for lower tariff rates on pork, higher MAV


Senator Panfilo Lacson on Sunday questioned the insistence of some government officials to lower tariff rates for pork imports and increase their minimum access volume (MAV) despite the objection of lawmakers and leaders of the local hog industry.

Lacson made the remark as the Senate Committee of the Whole, which is essentially composed of all senators, urged President Rodrigo Duterte through a resolution to withdraw his order seeking lower tariff rates for pork imports.

"Yun talaga ang kaduda-duda. Bakit pinupush pa rin at parang ayaw pakinggan yung aming paliwanag na binabase naman namin sa government records din?" (That's what we find curious. Why are they still pushing for their proposals, seemingly ignoring our calls which are based on government records), Lacson said in a Dobol B TV interview.

Likewise, he senator cited his exchange with Acting Socioeconomic Planning Secretary Karl Chua during the previous Senate hearing on the food security crisis on the need to increase the MAV of pork imports.

During the hearing, Chua said that pork consumption per capita per year is at 15 kilograms. Lacson then asked him about the 50% contraction of hotel and restaurant operators on pork consumption.

Chua responded by saying that even though people do not eat pork in hotels and restaurants anymore, they would still do so somewhere else.

Lacson countered Chua's statement, saying that the Philippines lost over seven million foreign tourists during the pandemic, and the pork products they were supposed to consume could have been deducted from the 400,000 metric tons of pork imports that the Department of Agriculture are proposing to allow.

"Kung ico-compute natin yung pitong milyong turista na hindi na kumakain ng pork sa Pilipinas at 15 kilograms per year na consumption, easily nasa mga 105 million kilos yun na pambawas sana. Bakit hindi nila kinonsider na ibawas doon sa kanilang estimate?" Lacson said.

(If we consider the pork consumption of those 7 million tourists at 15 kilograms per capita, that's easily 105 millions of pork which could have been deducted. Why didn't they consider it in their estimates?)

Lacson earlier revealed information from "high-placed sources" alleging that there is "tongpats" or padded costs of P5 to P7 per kilo of pork import prevailing at the current importation setup.

He said the padded costs may significantly increase if the tariffs on pork imports are reduced and the MAV allocation is increased.

He also argued that the Philippines is losing an average of P1.085 billion in seafood importation revenues due to misdeclaration or smuggling.

Lacson lamented that even agencies concerned with putting basic food on the table are allegedly involved in corruption activities, at a time when Filipinos bear the brunt of the pandemic.

"Ang usapan dito, basic food on the Filipino family's table. Basic food ito e tapos may pandemya, hirap na hirap ang buhay. Kapag ito hindi pa pinatawad at ni-corrupt pa rin, talagang it goes beyond human conscience," he said.

(The point here is putting basic food on the Filipino family's table. This is about basic food amid the pandemic. If they won't let this go and they continue with their corrupt activities, it really goes beyond human conscience.)

"Saan pa tayo pupulutin kung ang mga walang kaluluwa, walang konsensiya, na pati pagkain ng odinaryong Pilipino ay hindi pa papatawarin?" (Where are heading to if these conscienceless individuals will not spare Filipinos of their activities), he added.

Lacson reiterated his call to Agriculture Secretary William Dar to address the issues involving his department.

"Meron siyang responsibilidad na tignang mabuti ito at kung wala siyang gagawing aksyon, pwede rin siyang mapagdudahan na co-opted siya," he said.

Dar has earlier denied involvement in the alleged "tongpats" scheme. He also had ordered an investigation into the said issue. —LBG, GMA News