Duterte declares state of calamity due to African swine fever

President Rodrigo Duterte has placed the entire country under state of calamity due to African swine fever (ASF), which has crippled the country's hog industry, presidential spokesperson Harry Roque said Tuesday.

Roque said this is provided under Presidential Proclamation 1143 issued Monday but released on Tuesday.

Proclamation 1143 says that since it was first reported in the country in 2019, ASF has affected 12 regions and significantly reduced the country's swine population by around three million hogs, resulting in more than P100 billion in losses to the local hog sector and allied industries and increased retail prices of pork products.

“There is hereby declared a State of Calamity throughout  the Philippines on account of the ASF outbreak, for a period of one year beginning this date, unless earlier lifted or extended as circumstances may warrant,” the Proclamation read.

This declaration, the Proclamation said, will give the national government and local government units (LGUs) ample latitude to utilize appropriate funds, including the Quick Response Fund, in their response efforts to contain the continuing spread of the ASF and restore normalcy in ASF-affected areas.

“There is an urgent need to address the continued spread of ASF and its adverse impacts, to jumpstart the rehabilitation of the local hog industry, and to ensure the availability, adequacy and affordability of pork products, all for the purpose of attaining food security,” the Proclamation read.

“All government agencies and LGUs are enjoined to render full assistance to and cooperation with each other , and mobilize the necessary resources to undertake critical, urgent and appropriate measures in a timely manner to curtail the further spread of ASF, address the supply deficit in pork products, reduce retail prices, and jumpstart the rehabilitation of the local hog industry.”

Increased MAV

In addition, the President also increased the allowed volume of imported pork in the country by hiking the minimum access volume (MAV) of pork meat to 404,210 metric tons from 54,210 metric tons.

This increased MAV is provided under Executive Order (EO) 133 which was issued by the President on May 10 but was only released on May 11.

“It is imperative [on us] to immediately address the current supply gap in pork meat to provide consumers with  adequate  and affordable food and to lower the inflation rate,” EO 133 read.

Back in April, President Duterte signed EO 128 which reduces the tariff rates on imported pork to 5% to 20% from 30% to 40% for a year amid the negative effects of ASF on pork supply.

Since then, Agriculture Secretary William Dar had recommended that the tariff rates in EO 128 be adjusted to 10% in-quota and 20% for out-quota for the first three months; and 15% in-quota and 25% for out-quota for the remaining nine months. —KBK/BM, GMA News