(Photo by Jansen Romero / FILE PHOTO / MANILA BULLETIN)
In the joint resolution, the lawmakers also called for the rejection of the Minimum Access Volume (MAG) of pork imports from 54,000 metric tons to 404,000 MTs or an equivalent of 749 percent increase in the current quota.
“Tariff reduction and increased MAV of pork imports will further decimate the local pork industry as we know it and will also undermine our local production and food security, as what has happened to the rice industry,” they said.
The joint resolution was filed by Representatives Carlos Zarate, Rose Marie Arenas, Jose Christopher Belmonte, Arlene Brosas, Argel Joseph Cabatbat, France Castro, Eufemia Cullamat, Lorenz Defensor, Sarah Jane Elago, Edgar Erice, Ferdinand Gaite, Janette Garin, Rico Gerona, Jonathan Keith Flores, Edcel Lagman, Geraldine Roman, and Noel Villanueva.
(Jansen Romero / FILE PHOTO / MANILA BULLETIN)
In the PAGASA ‘s 4 p.m. weather bulletin, the tropical storm was estimated at 1,165 kilometers east of Mindanao at around 3 p.m.
PAGASA said Surigae is still on track to enter the Philippine area of responsibility by Friday, April 16, and once inside, it will be given a local name “Bising.”
It has maintained its maximum sustained winds of 75 kilometers per hour (kph) near the center and gustiness of up to 90 kph while moving northwest at 10 kph.
“Wala namang significant na epekto pa sa bansa pero yung trough or extension ng sirkulasyon ay magko-cause ng severe thunderstorms sa Mindanao. But generally fair weather condition pa rin ang mararanasan sa ibang bahagi ng bansa. (There is no significant effect in the country yet but the trough or extension of the circulation will cause severe thunderstorms in Mindanao. But generally fair weather conditions will still be experienced in other parts of the country,” PAGASA weather spe
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Presidential Spokesperson Atty. Harry Roque
(Jansen Romero / MANILA BULLETIN FILE PHOTO)
Presidential spokesman Harry Roque said the Palace respects the call of some lawmakers to revoke Executive Order No. 128 on the temporary reduction of tariff rates of imported pork but the President will exercise his veto power if changes will be made in the rates.
Some lawmakers have opposed the President’s decision on the reduction of tariff rates on imported pork for a year supposedly aimed at boosting local supply and stabilizing prices.
The new tariff rates are contained in EO 128 recently issued by the President in light of the devastating impact of the African Swine Fever outbreak on local hog production.
(MB FILE, Jansen Romero)
House deputy minority leader and Bayan Muna Representative Carlos Isagani Zarate said thousands involved in the Philippine hog industry stand to lose their jobs due to the negative impact of Executive Order No. 128.
“Lahat ng mga hog raisers o magbababoy ay tutol sa EO 128 pero itinuloy pa din ng Malacañang. Bakit ba palaging ang default reaction ng Duterte administration, lalo na ng DA, ay palagi ang pag-iimport at hindi ang tulungang paunlarin ang mga magsasaka at local na producers ng ating bansa (All our hog raisers are opposed to EO 128 but Malacañang still pursued it. Why is it always the default reaction of the Duterte administration, especially by the Department of Agriculture, to always import instead of supporting its own farmers and local producers)?” Zarate asked in a statement.