Senate Minority Leader Franklin Drilon on Sunday called for utmost transparency in the country’s pork importation scheme, saying this would help negate people’s perception that there is corruption in pork importation.
Drilon made the call ahead of the Senate Committee of the Whole’s Monday, April 12, hearing into the allegations of “tongpats” or kickbacks in pork importation and the security crisis gripping the local hog industry due to the African swine fever (ASF) outbreak.
The senator also said the Department of Agriculture (DA) should make a public disclosure of the list of meat importers under the minimum access volume or MAV scheme.
“Sino ang makikinabang? Saan manggagaling ang imported pork? Sino ang importer (Who will benefit? Where will the imported pork come from? Who are the importers)?”Drilon pointed out in an interview over Radio DZBB.
Drilon said it was imperative that the DA disclose the recipients of meat import certificates under the MAV scheme, noting the scheme’s similarities in the country’s rice importation scheme which was also being hounded by corruption issues.
“At the time of rice importation control, we’ve heard of commissions coming from the countries where the rice are bought. The same situation here: who are the importers and where will the meat come from?” he pointed out.
The President earlier issued Executive Order 128, which ordered the reduction of tariffs on fresh, chilled, or frozen pork meat under quota or the MAV to five percent for the first three months of the order’s validity and to 10 percent for the fourth to 12 months of the order’s effectivity.
For pork imports outside the MAV, the order will reduce the tariff rate to 15 percent on the first three months, and 20 percent on the fourth to 12thmonth of effectivity.
The government also wants to increase the MAV to 350,000 metric tons from the current 150,000 metric tons.
Drilon said the Senate should weigh the effects of the lowered tariff rates on pork, and increased MAV on the local hog industry.
“How would the additional MAV be allocated? What are the guidelines?” he pointed out.
Nevertheless, he said the President may amend or revoke the EO once it is proven that lowering tariff on pork imports and increasing MAV would be harmful to local hog raisers and result in foregone revenues.
“That can be reviewed by the President. That is an executive action and the power to review an executive order is up to the President,” he said, adding that the Senate can also ask Malacañang to revoke the order.
Sen. Francis “Kiko” Pangilinan echoed Drilon’s call, adding it was also important to find out who applied for import permits, what their track records are or if they are part of a cartel or syndicate.
“For sure, heaps of money will circulate. It’s not hard to imagine some would be tempted to profit off the local hog industry’s woes,” Pangilinan said.
Pangilinan also renewed his appeal for Malacanang to declare a state of calamity due to the ASF outbreak.
“For the sake of consumers, for the sake of local farmers, for the sake of the local hog industry, please declare a state of calamity and provide the necessary funding to address the calamity,” Pangilinan said in a statement.
Pangilinan stressed that a declaration of a state of calamity will pave the way for the release of billions of pesos worth of government funds to indemnify hog raisers who had to cull their pigs, to pay for temporarily under-worked hog raisers and other similar efforts that aim to help revive the local hog industry.
“We are not against importation because there is a shortage of pork. But not massive importation that will kill our local hog industry, which is also struggling to survive,” he pointed out.