The Philippines’ swine population contracted by 1.5 percent in the first quarter to reach its lowest level since 1994, as the local hog sector continues to reel from the impact of African swine fever (ASF). Preliminary data from the Philippine Statistics Authority (PSA) showed that the...
Citing a substantial pork supply shortfall, President Marcos has ordered an increase in the minimum access volume (MAV) for pork this year from 54,210 metric tons (MT) to 204,210 MT. Marcos signed Executive Order No. 116 on May 19, 2026, in response to the existing supply gap. "[T]here is an urgent...
Local hog producers warned that the government’s plan to enforce a price ceiling on liempo or pork belly could further strain domestic production at a time when farmgate prices are already depressed while input costs are at their highest. Pork Producers Federation of the Philippines Inc....
The Department of Agriculture (DA) is keeping the same volume of pork imports subject to a lower tariff rate under its revised minimum access volume (MAV) policy as it seeks to restore competitiveness in the market. “All of our regular MAV quotas will be the same as last year. It’s just the...
The Department of Agriculture (DA) is aiming to expand the domestic swine population by one million heads to nearly 10 million this year, as it begins implementing its ₱1.6-billion swine repopulation program aimed at reducing the country’s reliance on pork imports. The DA’s target for the...
CEBU CITY – Prices of pork in Cebu could increase significantly if fuel costs continue to rise. Rolando Tambago, vice chairman of the Pork Producers Federation of the Philippines Inc., said prices of pork in the province remain stable but that could change in the coming months due to global...
Senate President Pro Tempore Panfilo “Ping” Lacson on Sunday, January 11 denounced Sen. Imee Marcos’s allegations of “soft pork barrel” in the 2026 General Appropriations Act (GAA), disclosing that the President’s sister in fact, has an allocable fund worth at least P2.5-billion in the...
Senate President Vicente “Tito” Sotto III rejected on Friday, January 9 allegations that there’s soft pork barrel in the 2026 national budget saying such statements are “unfair and baseless.” Sotto aired his sentiment when asked about Sen. Imee Marcos’ insistence that there is an...
Senator Erwin Tulfo on Thursday, Nov. 13, called on the Senate to ensure that the proposed P6.793-trillion national budget for 2026 has no “pork barrel” or discretionary funds allocated to lawmakers. The vice-chairman of the Senate Committee on Finance pointed this out during the first day of...
Malacañang gave an assurance that the unprogrammed appropriations under the proposed 2026 national budget will not end up as "pork barrel." Palace Press Officer and Communications Undersecretary Claire Castro said that although P250 billion falls under the unprogrammed appropriations, it will be...
The Pasig Regional Trial Court (RTC) Branch 158 on Wednesday, Oct. 1, convicted Janet Lim Napoles, the alleged mastermind of the 2013 Priority Development Assistance Fund (PDAF) scam or “pork barrel” scam, on 13 counts of money laundering. The case was jointly initiated and prosecuted by the...
Senate President Pro Tempore Panfilo “Ping” Lacson on Tuesday, September 30 said the revelations on the huge budget insertions by members of the Senate and House of Representatives in the 2025 national budget is a chance for both houses of Congress to ensure that next year’s budget is free...
