Sotto wants DA to name person who pushed for lowered tariff for imported meat

Senate President Vicente Sotto III on Monday asked the Department of Agriculture (DA) to name the person or group who encouraged the signing of an executive order that pushes for an increase in minimum access volume (MAV) and lowered tariffs on imported meat.

This was after the senators called for the withdrawal of Executive Order 128, which aims at lowering tariff rates for importing pork products.

“I want to know whose bright idea it was to hike the import ceiling and lower import taxes on pork. Sino nag-suggest nito from the DA? Bakit gusto nilang mag-import tayo beyond what is required and at the same time babaan ang tariff? Anong logical explanation dito?” Sotto said in a press statement.

(Who suggested this? Why do they want the country to import beyond what is required and at the same time lower the tariff. What is the logical explanation to this?)

The Senate leader said Agriculture Secretary William Dar should name the person or group responsible for pushing for signing the EO during the next hearing of the Senate Committee of the Whole.

The EO on pork imports was also contrary to President Rodrigo Duterte's guarantee that pork and other food products will remain accessible to the public especially during the pandemic, Sotto noted.

“I believe that the President intended the EO to assure our people that the government is in control and that the welfare of our hog raisers, fishermen and farmers will always be the priority. This EO is supposed to be in line with the intentions of the President, but the end product is not," Sotto said.

"He would not have signed this if he knew that his order will have a negative impact on the hog and agriculture industries. He would not have signed this if no one lobbied for it,” he further pointed out.

In a previous interview, Sotto said Duterte was misinformed on signing such EO. He added that there is no need to lower tariffs and increase the allowed volume of pork in the country due to an influx in supply of meat in Visayas and Mindanao.

Also, 17 lawmakers at the House of Representatives called for the termination of the EO that seeks lowering of pork tariffs.—AOL, GMA News