In a bid to protect consumers and uphold food safety standards, the Department of Agriculture (DA) has ordered nine hog farms in Central Luzon to explain their continued operations despite lacking proper licenses.

The DA’s Bureau of Animal Industry (BAI) issued the show cause orders after uncovering that the farms – located in Bulacan, Pampanga, and Tarlac – have been bypassing key health, environmental, and safety protocols.

Agriculture Secretary Francisco Tiu Laurel said the unregulated operations pose serious risks not just to the integrity of the pork supply chain, but also to the health of Filipino consumers. 

“These illegal farms compromise our collective efforts to ensure safe, affordable pork for the public,” he warned.

The crackdown follows President Ferdinand Marcos Jr.’s directive to address gaps in the food supply chain and stabilize prices by eliminating unregistered livestock operations.

“As we modernize Philippine agriculture, unlicensed farms have no place in the system,” Tiu Laurel said. 

“We are serious about protecting the public and supporting compliant farmers who follow the rules.”

The violations come at a critical time, as the country continues to recover from the impact of African Swine Fever (ASF), which devastated local pork production in recent years.

According to acting BAI Director Christian Daquigan, the show cause orders were served shortly after the midterm elections. Some farms have begun responding, but authorities warned that stricter actions may follow.

Tiu Laurel has also ordered a broader audit of swine farms nationwide to root out other unregistered operations. The DA and BAI said they will continue monitoring animal facilities to ensure they meet licensing, health, and safety standards – vital to maintaining public trust in the country’s food system.