The House Quinta Committee or the “Murang Pagkain Supercommittee,” led by committee on ways and means chairperson and Albay Rep. Joey Salceda, on Wednesday resumed its motu proprio inquiry into the implementation of government efforts to address smuggling and price manipulation of basic goods and essential commodities.Â
AGAP Party-list Rep. Nicanor Briones expressed his concern over importers potentially misdeclaring pork cuts as something else to evade higher tariffs.
According to him, pork cuts are subject to a 25% tariff, while fats, meat skin, and offals are subject to a 5% tariff only.
“Dine-declare na offals pero ang totoong dumadating, may possibility na tunay na pork cuts or tunay na karne just to evade paying right tariffs,” he said.
Department of Agriculture (DA) Assistant Secretary Constante Palabrica committed to investigating the matter.
He says African swine fever (ASF) is the primary challenge facing the local swine industry. Since 2019, ASF has drastically reduced the country’s pig production by more than 50%, posing a significant challenge to the agricultural sector.
DA has initiated measures such as repopulating swine herds and rolling out an ASF vaccination program. Palabrica disclosed that the DA secured 500,000 doses of ASF vaccines, distributed to farmers to aid in repopulation efforts.
He added that the ASF vaccine is currently undergoing clinical trials. Once it meets surveillance and observation standards, the DA plans to seek approval from the Food and Drug Administration for its regular distribution.
Palabrica also reported that the DA is establishing checkpoints in Metro Manila to prevent the spread of ASF from different regions.
Bureau of Customs Assistant Commissioner Vincent Philip Maronilla explained the agency’s use of a selectivity system for inspecting shipments. The BOC conducts open-close inspections for frozen goods, with more thorough second-border examinations performed at cold storage facilities accredited by the National Meat Inspection Service and Bureau of Animal Industry.
Panel co-chairperson and Iloilo Rep. Ferjenel Biron proposed reinstating pre-shipment inspections to address these issues, noting that post-shipment inspections are more challenging.
“Kasi, it’s very challenging to do a post-shipment inspection. It may incur additional cost on the part of the importer, but that will ensure biosecurity, and you prevent revenue loss,” Biron stated.
The inquiry, in aid of legislation, is pursuant to House Resolution 254, which Speaker Ferdinand Martin Romualdez authored.
The mega-panel is composed of the Committees on Ways and Means chaired by Salceda, Trade and Industry chaired by Biron; Agriculture and Food chaired by Quezon Rep. Wilfrido Mark Enverga; Social Services chaired by Nueva Ecija Rep. Rosanna Vergara and Special Committee on Food Security chaired by Nueva Vizcaya Rep. Luisa Cuaresma.