Monday, April 12, 2021

Senators: Meat imports to kill PH hog industry

HOLY MONTH Workers repaint the minaret at Ecoland Islamic Center in Davao City in this photo taken last week as Muslims prepare for the monthlong observance of Ramadan beginning on Tuesday. Imams and other community leaders urge worshipers who will not be accommodated in mosques to pray in their homes. —BING GONZALES

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‘Schools as jab sites proof of failed gov’t response’

The recent move of the Commission on Higher Education (CHEd) to repurpose facilities of 17 universities and colleges in the country as vaccination sites was a reflection of the national government’s failed pandemic response, an alliance of student councils said on Monday. --Story by Meg Adonis

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India overtakes Brazil in cases as thousands join ritual bath

India on Monday overtook Brazil as the country with the second-highest number of coronavirus infections, as it reported a new daily record of 168,912 cases. The vast nation of 1.3 billion people has been reporting a rapid increase in new infections in recent weeks, with the surge taking the total toll to 13.5 million cases, above Brazil’s 13.48 million. --AFP AND REUTERS

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Senators: Meat imports to kill PH hog industry

By DJ Yap and Melvin Gascon @Team_Inquirer

Senators have challenged the computations of agriculture officials that led to President Duterte’s “mind-boggling” decision to raise imported pork volumes by 350,000 metric tons (MT) on top of a reduction in import duties that, they said, packed a double whammy for backyard hog raisers.

During Monday’s Senate committee-of-the-whole inquiry into the ills facing the domestic meat industry due to the African swine fever (ASF) outbreak, Agriculture Secretary William Dar said the 350,000 MT would amount to about 5 million pigs.

Quizzed by Senate Minority Leader Franklin Drilon about the current population of pigs being raised by farmers in the country, Dar replied: “About 9.7 million.” “So, 5 million over 9.7 million is almost 50 percent of the present population of pigs. This is what we will import?” Drilon asked the secretary, who said yes.

“What I’m driving at is have you not considered how this will devastate the hog industry, especially backyard hog raisers? Almost 70 percent would be generated by backyard raisers, and if you import this much, almost 50 percent of our present population, won’t that cause the collapse of the local industry?” Drilon asked.

“You are recommending more than double and you are admitting this will represent more than 50 percent of our present pig population of 9.7 million,” he added.

Senate President Vicente Sotto III interjected: “It’s mind-boggling. My big question, how were you able to convince the President?”

Editorial

Beyond the tit for tat

The broad coalition of countries backing the Philippines and the arbitral award gives the Philippines the moral and legal high ground to insist on its rights against China. But before that international consensus can be harnessed, it is imperative that such a policy of working with other countries to insist on a rules-based order in the SCS, and on the Philippines' territorial integrity in the WPS in particular, is enunciated in clear, unmistakable, and unwavering language not just by Lorenzana and Locsin, but by President Duterte himself.

Read full story: opinion.inquirer.net