Instead of lowering the tariffs on imported pork, the government should declare a state of calamity due to the African swine flu, Senator Francis Pangilinan said Sunday.
That, he said, would unlock the funds to indemnify the hog raisers who voluntarily culled their pigs to stop the spread of the disease to other pigs.
Earlier in the week, the Senate committee on agriculture and food called on the government to declare a national state of emergency amid the ASF outbreak that has reportedly resulted in about P50 billion in swine industry losses.
The panel, headed by Senator Cynthia Villar, approved a motion issued by Pangilinan for a declaration of a state of emergency in Luzon so that public funds might be realigned to address the outbreak.
Pangilinan noted that imported meat should not flood the market because of the slump in the local industry.
"This cheap imported meat will also be competing as if we are killing the industry,” Pangilinan said.
“We're not saying do not import. What we are saying is to import just enough to address the lowering of prices. But do not resort to excessive importation.”
The hog industry has lost about P60 billion due to ASF.
With the declaration of a state of calamity, Pangilinan said, calamity funds could be used to augment the Department of Agriculture’s funds allocated to control the ASF. He said this should help revive the hog industry.
“The DA said it needs 8 billion [pesos] for the campaign against ASF, but it only has 2.6 billion [pesos] available.
“So the declaration of a state of calamity is important because they will have additional funds from the 20-billion calamity fund of the government. Without the state of calamity nationwide, they cannot source the funds,” Pangilinan said.
He said a similar response to previous calamities that struck the agriculture sector addressed funding problems.
He cited the foot-and-mouth disease in 1995 and the “cocolisap” infestation in 2014.
Furthermore, he said, lowering the tariffs on imported pork was problematic because it would not ensure that imported pork is ASF-free while reducing government funds that could be used to help hog-raisers.
On March 10, Pangilinan filed his proposed Senate Resolution 676 urging the President to declare a state of calamity due to the ASF.
The Senate, which is amending the resolution to include the other senators’ concern regarding lower tariffs, is expected to approve the resolution today (March 15).