Partylist urges nat’l state of calamity over ASF spread

An agricultural partylist on Sunday warned of a shortage in the supply of pork products and a subsequent increase in their prices in the coming months due to the spread of African swine fever, and urged the declaration of a national state of calamity.

As of August 8, the Department of Agriculture has tallied 64 municipalities in 22 provinces that have reported active ASF cases.

“Dahil may marami nga ang magbebenta nang wala pa sa panahon, tapos may marami ang namamatay dahil sa tama ng ASF, sigurado 'yan pagdating ng...October, November, December, hanggang January, dahil malakas ang demand ay magkukulang ang supply dahil marami na naman yung tinatamaan ng African swine fever. So tataas ang presyo pagdating ng -ber months,” AGAP Partylist Representative Nicanor Briones told GMA Integrated News.

Briones said many hog raisers are avoiding losses to ASF by selling off their pigs at a lower price before they become infected.

He said the farmgate price of pork has decreased from P220 per kilo to P170 to 180 per kilo. 

AGAP Partylist is pushing for the declaration of a nationwide state of calamity with Briones saying that losses due to ASF have reached P150 billion.

Briones said a state of calamity would allow the government to use calamity funds to purchase ASF vaccines and distribute them for free to hog raisers.

He estimated that government would have to spend P6 billion to vaccinate almost 10 million hogs in the country.

“Ang solusyon sa ngayon ay mabigyan talaga ng bakuna. Lalong lalo na yung mga backyard raisers,” Briones said.

“At libre yung bakuna. Hopefully ay mag-allot ng malaking budget.  Kaya nga sina-suggest natin na mag-declare ng state of calamity or emergency ang buong bansa, national. Para lahat ng tinamaan ng African Swine Fever, yung mga local government ay may magagamit na local na calamity fund. Ang national government, puwede gumamit din ng calamity fund. So makakapagbili kaagad ng bakuna para mabakunahan yung lahat ng backyard raisers na alaga. At kung maaari pati commercial raisers,” he added.

AGAP Partylist also recommended that the DA indemnify hog raisers with P10,000 for every culled hog.

DA also expects shortage

The Agriculture Department confirmed AGAP’s fears of a supply shortage of pork but says that this will extend even to next year.

“Merong katotohanan 'yon kasi ang namamatay ngayon, kakatayin yan ng December. Pero mas asahan natin na next year ay mawawala o mababawasan nang substantial ang supply ng baboy. Ang life cycle ng baboy, lalo na kapagka inahin ang namatay, it will take one year and a half bago mag-produce uli yan ng karne o yung malaking baboy na,” Agriculture Assistant Secretary Constante Palabrica told GMA Integrated News.

To make up for the supply shortage, “babalansehin ito sa pamagitan ng pag-import ng baboy. Pero hindi yun ang tunay na dapat na move na. Ang ginagawa ng DA ngayon ay hanggat maaari, mag-repopulate para yung local pork industry natin ay hindi maapektuhan,” Palabrica said.

On AGAP’s recommendation to declare a nationwide state of calamity, Palabrica said this is being discussed.

“Kasi pag ginawa mong national kaagad yan ay kailangan ang presidente na mag-declare,” Palabrica explained.

“Pero at this point in time, meron tayong tinatawag na short-term move. Merong perang nakalaan sa bakuna na worth P350 million na binigay ang DA. P300 million para sa bakuna. Yung P50 million, para sa mga tao na magbabakuna, magmomonitor. And at the same time, meron tayong QRF fund, quick response fund. At itong pondong ‘to ay bibigay doon sa mga may-ari ng baboy na tinamaan ng ASF,” he added.

On AGAP’s proposal to allot a P10,000 indemnification for every culled hog, Palabrica said, “Malapit-lapit naman sa P10,000 yung pinag-uusapan namin. Hindi namin mabibigay lahat pero siyempre merong substantial naman ng indemnification.” — BM, GMA Integrated News