BM Angelo Eduarte pushes Quezon resolution against imported pork

By Engr. Jay B. Laurino BM Angelo Eduarte delivers his privilege speech urging stronger protection for Quezon's local hog industry durin...

By Engr. Jay B. Laurino

BM Angelo Eduarte delivers his privilege speech urging stronger protection for Quezon's local hog industry during the recent Provincial Board's regular session. (Quezon PIO)

LUCENA CITY, Quezon - Every truckload of imported frozen pork carries a question that many Quezon hog raisers can no longer ignore. As the national government expands pork imports, local farmers fear the market they struggled to rebuild could once again slip beyond their reach.

The issue came before the Sangguniang Panlalawigan ng Quezon during its recent regular session after Sixth District Board Member Angelo Eduarte urged the province to take a stand against imported meat. Through a privilege speech, he introduced a resolution opposing the continued entry of imported pork into the province and seeking stronger protection for Quezon's local hog raisers.



Eduarte anchored the resolution on Executive Order No. 116, signed by President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. on May 19, which increased the Minimum Access Volume for pork imports. The national government said the policy aims to augment pork supply and help moderate retail prices as consumers continue to feel the effects of inflation.

That objective, however, has revived a broader debate over how the country should balance affordable food with the protection of domestic agriculture. In livestock-producing provinces such as Quezon, many hog raisers say imported meat places additional pressure on farms already recovering from years of financial setbacks and rising production costs.

Those concerns formed the core of Eduarte's privilege speech before the Provincial Board. He argued that imported pork reaches the market at prices many backyard and commercial raisers cannot realistically match despite investing heavily to rebuild their farms.

"Ang pagpapapasok ng imported pork ay magpapabagsak sa industriya. Hindi kayang pantayan ng ating mga lokal na magbababoy ang mababang presyo ng imported pork mula sa international market. Kaya sa aking paniniwala, mahalagang tutulan ang bagay na ito upang hindi makapasok ang frozen meat dito sa ating lalawigan," Eduarte said.

He also questioned the need to expand pork imports, saying Quezon continues to produce enough quality pork to meet local demand. He maintained that local hog raisers should be given greater opportunity to supply their own market instead of competing against lower-priced imported products.

"Malaking kompetensya ito sa ating mga hog raisers na patuloy na bumabangon. Gusto natin na magpatuloy ang industriya at ang ating mga lokal na magbababoy ang patuloy na makapagbigay ng ligtas at de-kalidad na pagkain sa hapag ng bawat pamilya," he added.

Several Provincial Board members expressed support for the proposal before the Provincial Board referred it to the Committee on Agriculture for hearings ahead of further deliberations. The committee will review the measure and submit its recommendations before the Provincial Board deliberates on the resolution again.

The outcome will not determine national import policy, but it could define the province's official position on protecting its local swine industry. Many hog raisers now view the committee's recommendation as a measure of how firmly the province intends to stand behind an industry still rebuilding from years of setbacks.