Quimbo calls for House probe on rising pork prices

Marikina City Representative Stella Quimbo is calling for a House investigation to look into the cause of the rising pork prices in the country and to evaluate the measures currently being taken to address this.

In a resolution, Quimbo called on the House Committee on Agriculture to conduct an inquiry in aid of legislation on the rising pork prices, which she said have increased by as much as 55% this month from the same time last year.

Food prices in Metro Manila markets are on the rise as food supply has dropped due to the series of lockdowns and successive typhoons, among other factors.

Prices of pork in Metro Manila markets, for instance, have gone up due to the African swine fever (ASF).

To address this, the Department of Agriculture proposed that the government impose a price freeze on pork at P270 to P300 per kilo.

But Quimbo said imposing price ceilings on pork products while there is also a shortage of supply "will only further disincentivize suppliers that are already struggling from the challenges imposed by recent calamities."

"A more effective solution to facilitate fair prices to suppliers and consumers is to aggressively control the outbreak of ASF among farm animals and to encourage investments in the industry in order to improve pork supply in the long term," she added.

Quimbo also pointed out that the increasing prices may have been caused by "anti-competitive conduct" such as collusion among traders to keep wholesale and retail pork prices high while keeping hog farmgate prices low.

The Philippine Competition Commission, she said, has jurisdiction over anti-competitive practices of traders under the Philippine Competition Act.

"Section 14 of the Philippine Competition Act prohibits anti-competitive agreements which consist of agreements among competitors to restrict competition as to price or components thereof or other terms of trade," she said.

"Therefore, be it resolved, that the House Committee on Agriculture conduct an inquiry in aid of legislation on the causes of the rising prices of pork in the market, evaluate the effectiveness of the current measures taken by the DA and other pertinent agencies to curb and resolve the crisis hounding hog-raising and trading of pork, and identify appropriate solutions to improve the state of the industry," she added.

Senator Francis Pangilinan earlier expressed concern over the continuing increase of prices of commodities in the market.

He urged the Senate to look into the rising food prices in the country to determine needed interventions to ensure people’s access to adequate and affordable food.

“Sa gitna ng isang pandemyang nag-alis na mga hanapbuhay ng milyon-milyong mga kababayan natin, seryosong tanong: Ano ang mabibili ng 500 pesos mo?” Pangilinan asked. — BM, GMA News