Chicken and hog raisers called on the Department of Agriculture (DA) to lift or increase the prevailing price ceiling on select commodities.
Atty. Bong Inciong, president of the United Broiler Raisers Association (UBRA), said they have appealed to Secretary William Dar to exclude chicken from the price cap, citing the high production cost of chicken of up to ₱100 excluding dressing fee and transportation cost.
The National Federation of Hog Farmers also sought to increase the price ceiling to ₱330 for pork shoulder (kasim) or butt (pigue) and ₱350 for pork belly (liempo). They stated they will no longer seek transport subsidy from the government once their request is granted.
The government currently mandates a cap of ₱270 per kilogram of kasim or pigue, ₱300 for liempo, and ₱160 for chicken.
A group of market vendors are set to conduct a signature campaign against the price ceiling and are mulling over the filing of petition and temporary restraining order before the Supreme Court.
“Para i-declare na unconstitutional po ‘yang executive order na ‘yan… lalaban kami kasi kawawa naman kami. Mawawalan kami ng hanapbuhay (So the executive order will be declared unconstitutional… We will fight because we are at a losing end. Our livelihood is at risk),” Las Piñas Market master Manny Pareja bared.
DA ASec. Noel Reyes relayed that Sec. Dar has already directed experts to evaluate whether there is a need to increase or lift the price ceiling.
Meanwhile, Cabinet Secretary Karlo Nograles disclosed the government is considering the provision of 50 percent subsidy to commercial hog raisers to augment pork supply. – Report from Cleizl Pardilla
