Department of Agriculture (DA) Secretary William Dar confirmed Monday, March 8 that the current price ceiling on pork and chicken would be retained.
"We will maintain it in the remaining days until April 8, as prescribed under EO (Executive Order) 124," Dar said in a statement.
As per the EO, pork cuts of liempo and kasim/ pigue must not be priced over P300 per kilo and P270 per kilo, respectively; while dressed chicken should cost no more than P160 per kilo. Malacañang issued the directive last Feb. 1.
According to Dar, the Palace-ordered price cap has "undeniably contributed to taming the price surge of said two main food items, benefiting millions of Filipino consumers, particularly in Metro Manila." "Lifting it will undeniably result in dramatic rise in prices of pork and chicken, given that the African Swine Fever (ASF) crisis is still raging and thus continues to impact on local production of hogs nationwide," he said.
There was an earlier call from hog raisers to increase the price cap, but Dar doesn't like the idea. He said it would be "redundant" to do it since the actual average pork and chicken prices were higher than the ceiling imposed by EO 124.
Dar added that it is not far-fetched that if the price ceiling is raised, industry players will hike their prices once again, emboldened by the knowledge that they are capable of pressuring the government to change its mind.
"By maintaining it (price ceiling), the government will send a strong signal to Filipino consumers -- who suffer from lower incomes due to the adverse impact of the coronavirus disease (COVID-19) pandemic on our economy -- that it does care about their welfare," he said.
"Hog producers, wholesalers, and retailers are no less expected to do their share in helping the country’s economic recovery effort," added the DA chief.