Camarines Sur Representatives Migz and Luigi Villafuerte are pushing for the swift implementation of the recently enacted Animal Industry Development and Competitiveness Act (AIDCA), or Republic Act 12308, as a long-term solution to rising pork and meat prices.
Pork prices in Metro Manila have soared to ₱480 per kilo since November, prompting the Department of Agriculture to impose maximum suggested retail prices (MSRPs) of ₱370 for liempo and ₱330 for pigue and kasim.
“This new law aims to sharpen the competitiveness of our livestock and poultry sectors by creating the Animal Competitiveness Enhancement Fund (AnCEF), which will receive an annual budget of ₱20 billion, sourced from tariff collections from imports of livestock, chicken, and dairy products,” said Rep. Migz Villafuerte, one of the law’s authors.
RA 12308 allocates at least ₱200 billion over the next 10 years to strengthen domestic livestock, dairy, and poultry production. The AnCEF funds programs including herd repopulation, accreditation of breeding centers and stock farms, credit assistance for growers, mechanization and food safety services, animal feed development, and compensation for losses from animal diseases such as African swine fever and avian influenza.
“Tariff collections in excess of the ₱10 billion earmarked yearly for the AnCEF under RA 12308 shall be used to finance such programs as the recovery and recompensation of animal growers reeling from the outbreaks of animal diseases,” he added.
Rep. Migz emphasized that sustained government investment would stabilize meat prices while boosting food security, farmer incomes, industry investments, and job creation.
“In setting aside ₱200 billion or more over the next decade to help bring our distressed animal growers back on their feet and re-sharpen their competitiveness, RA 12308 will not only boost our country’s food security; it will also shore up the incomes of these industry players; draw new investments towards the livestock, poultry and dairy industries; and create more jobs for Filipinos,” he said.