President Duterte will listen to the senators’ grievances about Executive Order 128, which will lower the tariff rates on imported fresh, chilled, or frozen pork meat to address the existing pork supply shortage.
(KING RODRIGUEZ / PRESIDENTIAL PHOTO)
Senators Frank Drilon, Cynthia Villar, and Francis Pangilinan are set to file a joint resolution to seek the revocation of the President’s executive order.
“Nakikinig naman po ang Presidente sa lahat lalung-lalo na kung magsasama-sama ang mga senador (The President will listen especially if the senators will come together),” Presidential spokesman Harry Roque said on Tuesday, April 13, during his virtual media briefing.
The Palace official added that everyone is in agreement over the need to import pork products because of the shortage in supply in the market that pushed the price of a kilo of pork to P400 to P450 at one point.
Duterte signed EO 128, which will lower the import duty on pork products to augment meat supply and stabilize prices in the country, last week.
The EO will lower the tariff rate on pork imports under the minimum access volume (MAV) or quota to 5 percent for the first three months of the order’s validity. This will be up to 10 percent for the fourth to 12 months of the order’s effectivity.
It will also reduce the tariff rate on pork imports outside the quota to 15 percent for the first three months and 20 percent for the fourth to 12th month of the executive order’s validity.
Critics said that lowering the tariff rates on the imported pork will hurt the domestic market more, and that the reduction in prices will not pass on to consumers.
Some groups are also concerned that the lowered tariff rate will result in billions of pesos in lost government revenue, which can be used to improve the domestic swine production that has been badly hurt by the African swine flu.
Roque understands the salient points in the senators’ comments against EO 128, particularly the fact that reducing the tariff rates will not reflect in the market price.
“So tingin ko naman po makikinig po ang ating Presidente sa ating mga senador dahil pinakikinggan naman po ang lahat (I think the President will listen to our senators because he listens to everyone),” he said.