The government is pushing ahead with plans to increase pork import allocations as a safeguard against potential supply shortages and price spikes due to renewed African Swine Fever (ASF) risks and mounting inflationary pressures.

Agriculture Secretary Francisco P. Tiu Laurel Jr. on Wednesday defended Executive Order (EO) 116, which seeks to raise the minimum access volume (MAV) for pork imports.

“EO 116 was crafted to help stabilize pork prices and ensure consumers have access to more affordable food,” Tiu Laurel said. “While the proposal was initiated last year, the conditions that justified it remain—and may even be more pronounced today.”

“Historically, ASF infections tend to increase during the rainy season. If supply is affected again, pork prices could climb as they did before. This measure provides an added layer of protection for consumers and serves as a precautionary food security measure,” he said.

The DA chief was responding to AGAP Party-list Rep. Nicanor Briones, who questioned the need for EO 116 during a congressional hearing and suggested it had been issued without the agriculture secretary’s knowledge.

Tiu Laurel pushed back and maintained that the measure was proposed when pork prices were soaring and domestic supply was still reeling from ASF-related losses.

“EO 116 is not self-executing. The IRR will ensure that the interests of consumers, hog raisers, importers, and other stakeholders are properly balanced,” Tiu Laurel said.

To cushion consumers from potential price increases, 30,000 metric tons of the proposed additional allocation will be reserved for meat processors to help contain the cost of processed pork products.

The remaining 120,000 metric tons will go to either Food Terminal Inc. or the KADIWA ng Pangulo program, giving the government additional stocks to help stabilize market prices.