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PHL meat imports rise 26.7% in first five months led by pork

MEAT IMPORTS in the first five months rose 26.7% year on year to 440,018.87 metric tons (MT), led by a sharp increase in pork shipments. 

According to the Bureau of Animal Industry (BAI), pork imports in the first five months rose 146.7% to 215,883.30 MT.

Buffalo imports rose 52.1% to 19,635.60 MT during the period.

Turkey imports rose 15.6% to 710.28 kilograms.

The BAI said chicken imports fell 23.3% to 136,822.39 MT in the five months to May.

Imports of mechanically deboned meat (MDM) from chicken, used in the production of processed meat products such as sausages and dimsum, fell 33.8% t0 71,836.20 MT.

Beef imports declined 0.4% to 66,678.76 MT, while duck imports fell 18.4% to 53.89 MT. Lamb imports dropped 71.9% to 236.66 MT.

Jesus C. Cham, Meat Importers and Traders Association president, said in a phone message that the imports reflect the severity of the pork shortage.

“Imports of pork belly and cuts increased much more than the by-products. This shows the stronger purchasing power of the middle class, although the lower classes seem to be consuming more than last year,” Mr. Cham said.  

The Philippine Statistics Authority estimates that the hog inventory as of April 1 was 9.55 million animals, 22.6% lower from a year earlier, due to the effects of the African Swine Fever (ASF) outbreak.

The government’s response was to bring in pork imports at lower tariffs.

On May 10, President Rodrigo R. Duterte signed Executive Order (EO) No. 133 that increased the minimum access volume (MAV) quota of pork imports to 254,210 MT, from the previous 54,210 MT, after the Department of Agriculture (DA) estimated a looming pork deficit of 388,790 MT.

MAV is the quota for farm commodities that can be imported at favorable tariffs under the World Trade Organization system.

Another initiative to augment pork supply was EO 134, signed by Mr. Duterte on May 15, which adjusted the tariff rates of pork imports for one year.

He lowered the tariff on pork imports within the MAV quota to 10% in the first three months and 15% over the subsequent nine months. Out-of-quota pork imports were to be charged 20% and 25% over the same periods.

Before the EO, the tariffs on pork within the MAV quota were 30%. Out-of-quota pork paid 40%.

Mr. Duterte also signed Proclamation No. 1143 that declared a state of calamity nationwide due to the effects of ASF.

Jerome D. Ong, Philippine Association of Meat Processors, Inc. vice-president, said in a statement that lower chicken imports, particularly MDM, were expected after the Philippines imposed restrictions on European sources such as the UK and Germany.

“Limited supply from the few remaining sources led to spiraling MDM prices, at levels 150-200% higher than last year’s,” Mr. Ong said.  

“We continue to appeal to the DA and the Bureau of Animal Industry to relax restrictions in accordance with World Organisation for Animal Health guidelines, so that trade may slowly normalize, and our sector can continue to provide steady supply of affordable meat protein to the masses,” he added.

Mr. Ong also said higher pork import volumes help meat processors manage their costs and minimize price adjustments.

“The ultimate victor here is the Filipino consumer who now has access to more affordable pork,” Mr. Ong said. — Revin Mikhael D. Ochave

Building permit approvals rise 1.4% in 1st quarter

BW FILE PHOTO

APPROVED building permit applications increased 1.4% from a year earlier in the first quarter to 33,627, signaling improvement in construction demand, according to preliminary data issued by the Philippine Statistics Authority.

The building projects covered by the permits were equivalent to 6.44 million square meters, valued at P80.02 billion. Floor size and value totals were down 23% and 12.1%, respectively, from a year earlier.

UnionBank of the Philippines, Inc. Chief Economist Ruben Carlo O. Asuncion said the decline in overall value and scope of building projects “may mean that potential (start of) momentum for the industry is still far off,” he said in an e-mail.

“But, the uptick in permits is a great sign going in the right direction,” he added.

Residential permits accounted for 69.5% of the total, with their number rising 6.2% to 23,364 during the period.

Single homes made up 89.4% of total residential construction, and accounted for 20,881 permits, up 6.3%.

Apartment/accessoria building project approvals rose 4.8% to 2,127, while approvals for duplexes and quadruplexes rose 24.9% to 321.

Residential condominium permits fell 44% to 14.

Meanwhile, non-residential construction starts declined 13.5% to 5,297 in the first three months.

Within this segment, commercial construction declined 12.1% to 3,570. This category accounted for 67.4% of non-residential construction during the period.

Institutional, industrial, and agricultural building permits also declined 19.3% (to 897), 19.3% (to 459), and 17.7% (to 209), respectively.

Bucking the trend was permit approvals for “other non-residential” buildings, which increased 25.6% to 162.

Applications to make additions to standing structures dropped 30.4% to 872, while alteration and repair permits rose 7.7% to 4,094.

Calabarzon — composed of Cavite, Laguna, Batangas, Rizal, and Quezon provinces — accounted for 21.7% of approved building permits in the first three months at 7,288. It was followed by the Ilocos Region (11.9% or 4,015) and Central Luzon (11.1% or 3,722).

“As the economy continues to reopen and as more vaccines come and people actually get the jab, the succeeding quarters for construction may continue to improve and we may see momentum gaining very soon,” Mr. Asuncion said. — Bernadette Therese M. Gadon

Eligibility rules eased for potential tractor suppliers

THE eligibility rules have been eased for prospective suppliers of four-wheel tractors to the farm mechanization program, with the Department of Agriculture (DA) requiring that they need to have been present in the market for 10 years instead of 25-30 previously.

Agriculture Secretary William D. Dar said he signed Memorandum Order No. 34 on May 12 which eased the “market presence” requirement for distributors or manufacturers.

“The policy democratizes the procurement process and makes the bidding more competitive,” Mr. Dar said in a statement Thursday.

“It avoids allegations of tailor-fitting the bidding process to favor a few suppliers. It also responds to complaints of prospective bidders as the 25-year to 30-year market presence requirement has (prevented) them from participating in the DA farm mechanization program,” he added.  

Various arms of the agriculture bureaucracy have not harmonized their market presence standards for procurement. The Philippine Center for Postharvest Development and Mechanization and the DA field offices in Regions 1, 3, and 6 require 30 years; the Sugar Regulatory Administration 25 years; and the DA field office in Region 2 10 years.  

The DA added that bidders for tractor contracts need to provide a minimum one-year warranty, meet Philippine National Standards and Philippine Agricultural and Biosystems Engineering Standards, provide after-sale services, conduct maintenance, and prove their products have no history of major breakdowns. — Revin Mikhael D. Ochave

Thailand extends ban on hog, pork imports from Philippines

REUTERS

THAILAND has extended an import ban on live pigs and carcasses from the Philippines as an African Swine Fever (ASF) containment measure.

The import ban was originally set to end in late April but was extended to August due to the continued presence of ASF in the Philippines, Thailand said in a notification to the World Trade Organization Wednesday.

“This emergency measure is to protect the domestic livestock industry,” Thailand said.

The Philippine hog industry does not expect to be affected by the ban.

Edwin G. Chen, president of the Pork Producers Federation of the Philippines, said in a mobile message that its members do not export to Thailand.

Meat Importers and Traders Association President Jesus C. Cham said the same, noting that Thailand has a strong agriculture industry of its own.

Cases of ASF are still detectable in 19 barangays in the Philippines, the Bureau of Animal Industry said Tuesday, down from more than 2,700 affected barangays since August 2019.

Pork prices have soared due to the curbing of supply as a result of the ASF outbreak.

President Rodrigo R. Duterte last month approved a recommendation to temporarily reduce import duties on pork for a year to increase supply.

Under Executive Order No. 134, the tariff rates for pork products were reset to 10% for imports within the minimum access volume quota and 20% outside the quota for the first three months. The tariffs will rise to 15% for in-quota and 25% for out-of-quota pork imports between the fourth and 12th months.

The Samahang Industriya ng Agrikultura association wrote to the Tariff Commission in March seeking higher import duties, noting that importers were profiting from a tariff rate that it said has no impact on the retail price of prime pork cuts. — Jenina P. Ibañez

Design bids solicited for PNR Bicol project

PHILSTAR

THE Transportation department has started seeking bidders for the detailed design and construction contract of the China-funded Philippine National Railways (PNR) South Long Haul Project (Banlic to Daraga package).

“The Department of Transportation of the Republic of the Philippines intends to apply a loan to People’s Republic of China amounting to P142.481 billion being the approved budget of the contract to payments under the design and build contract for PNR South Long Haul Project (Package 1, Banlic to Daraga),” the department said in its invitation to bid.

“Bidders shortlisted by the government of the People’s Republic of China may obtain further information from the Department of Transportation,” it added.

The P175-billion PNR South Long Haul Project, also known as PNR Bicol, is a 639-kilometer railway system connecting  Manila to Legazpi, Matnog, Sorsogon, and Batangas City. 

The Transportation department said shortlisted bidders may obtain a complete set of bid documents on June 4 upon payment of the applicable fees.

A pre-bid conference will be conducted on June 11.

The Bids and Awards Committee Secretariat will accept bids on or before 10 a.m., June 25, 2021, at its office in Paco, Manila. 

Bid opening will be conducted immediately after the deadline for submission of bids lapses.

The bidding format was described as “limited competitive bidding” using non-discretionary “pass/fail” criterion.

“Only those bids that passed the technical proposals criteria will be subjected to the second step of evaluation or the opening of financial proposals,” it said.

The department requires completion of the works within 36 months. 

Bidders should have completed a contract similar to the project within the last 20 years.

The department, according to its website, expects partial operations in the second quarter of 2022, while full operability is expected in 2025.

The project, once completed, will support economic growth and benefit 100,000 passengers per day, the department said.

“It will cut travel time from Manila to Bicol from 12 hours via car to just six hours,” it added. — Arjay L. Balinbin

Customs orders inspections for goods movements in New Clark City 

THE Bureau of Customs (BoC) ordered the goods of registered locators in New Clark City undergo inspection, and required shippers to coordinate movements with the bureau and obtain transit permits. 

Joint Memorandum Order (JMO) 01-2021 issued by the BoC and Bases Conversion and Development Authority (BCDA) on June 10 laid down guidelines and safeguard measures covering the movement of goods by locators in New Clark City. 

Since the New Clark City is newly established, the BoC had to issue new rules covering the movement of goods in the zone since this was not covered by the guidelines for Clark Freeport and Special Economic Zone, Customs Assistant Commissioner Vincent Philip C. Maronilla said by phone Thursday. 

“Because they are going to operate, build structures and there’s business activity already, we needed to issue a JMO on all Customs practices with the BCDA, (similar to our processes in) other freeport areas as well,” he said. 

Mr. Maronilla said the bureau regularly issues these orders for new economic zones to formally establish its audit powers over locators and ensure that Customs laws are observed. 

“A lot of locators are looking for a definite rule on how to go about their import business with New Clark City,” he added. 

Under JMO 01-2021, duties and taxes will not be collected from goods going into the New Clark City, but Customs is requiring prior coordination by locators with the bureau when they are shipping goods. 

There should also be a dedicated loading and unloading bays in secure areas, monitored by closed circuit television (CCTV). 

Imported items require goods declarations for admission. This, along with other requirements, should be electronically lodged with the agency and the New Clark City, according to the JMO. 

In moving goods within the city, the estate manager has the authority to monitor their status and report to the BoC accordingly. 

Transferring goods from the New Clark city to another free zone requires a transit permit, while those coming from a different customs territory will be subject to “non-intrusive inspection” at the Customs clearance area. 

“In cases where the image analysis inspectors determine that further physical examination shall be conducted, the physical examination shall likewise be conducted at the Customs clearance area,” according to the JMO. 

For consumption goods such as agricultural products, physical examinations can be done at the locator’s site to prevent possible damage or deterioration of goods. 

Locators also have to keep three years worth of records of all their activities, including the goods they imported, since Customs has the power to conduct post-clearance audits. 

“Failure to keep the required records shall constitute a waiver of the right to contest the results of the audit based on records kept by the bureau,” it said. — Beatrice M. Laforga 

1M more Chinese vaccines arrive

PHOTO COURTESY OF NATIONAL TASK FORCE AGAINST COVID-19

THE PHILIPPINES on Thursday took delivery of a million more doses of CoronaVac from China — the biggest single-day delivery so far — as the government expands its vaccination drive against the coronavirus, according to the presidential palace.

The government paid for the vaccines from Sinovac Biotech Ltd., presidential spokesman Herminio L. Roque, Jr. told a televised news briefing.

About 2.2 million doses of the vaccine made by Pfizer, Inc. under a global initiative for equal access were also set to arrive on Thursday night.

The second shipment of Pfizer vaccines would be used for health frontliners, senior citizens and seriously ill people, according to a report by the state news agency.

The government is also set to take delivery of 1.5 million more doses of CoronaVac on June 17, it said, citing vaccine czar Carlito G. Galvez, Jr.

Mr. Galvez earlier said the country would take delivery of as many as 40 million vaccine shots from June to August.

The Philippines, which started its vaccination drive on March 1, seeks to inoculate as many as 70 million Filipinos this year to achieve herd immunity.

The Department of Health (DoH) reported 7,485 coronavirus infections on Thursday, bringing the total to 1.3 million.

The death toll rose by 122 to 22,312, while recoveries increased by 4,504 to 1.21 million, it said in a bulletin.

There were 56,921 active cases, 1.3% of which were critical, 92.6% were mild, 3.2% did not show symptoms, 1.7% were severe and 1.18% were moderate.

The agency said 15 duplicates had been removed from the tally, 12 of which were tagged as recoveries. Sixty-five recoveries were reclassified as deaths. Four laboratories failed to submit data on June 8.

About 13 million Filipinos have been tested for the coronavirus as of June 8, according to DoH’s tracker website.

The coronavirus has sickened about 175.2 million and killed 3.8 million people worldwide, according to the Worldometers website, citing various sources including data from the World Health Organization.

About 158.7 million people have recovered, it said.

Meanwhile, Mr. Roque said about 58% of intensive care unit (ICU) beds in the country have been used.

About 49% of isolation beds and 49% of ward beds had been occupied as of Wednesday. About 38% of ventilators nationwide have been used.

Mr. Roque said about 53% of ICU beds and 39% of isolation beds in the capital region have been occupied. About 37% of ward beds and 35% of ventilators have been used.

The government placed Metro Manila and nearby provinces under a strict lockdown from March to mid-May after a fresh surge in coronavirus infections. The restrictions have since been eased.

Philippine authorities earlier said the southern and central parts of the Philippines were experiencing a surge in infections.

The Philippines started immunizing its labor force against the coronavirus on Monday as government seeks to further reopen its economy after imposing one of the strictest and longest lockdowns in the world.

President Rodrigo R. Duterte said the vaccination of essential workers in the private and public sectors was a “major milestone” in the fight against the pandemic.

The inoculation of private workers, government employees, and informal sectors workers is being carried out first in Metro Manila and other key economic hubs due to limited supply.

The Philippines aims to inoculate at least 500,000 people daily in Metro Manila, Rizal, Bulacan, Cavite, Laguna, Metro Cebu, and Metro Davao to achieve herd immunity by Nov. 27. — Kyle Aristophere T. Atienza and Vann Marlo M. Villegas

NEDA wants pilot for face-to-face classes to start this August

BW FILE PHOTO

THE NATIONAL Economic and Development Authority (NEDA) wants the government to pilot face-to-face classes in August to help the economy recover from a coronavirus pandemic.

The government should also gradually relax quarantines to boost economic activities, NEDA Undersecretary Mercedita A. Sombilla told an online forum on Thursday.

“Containing the spread of the virus will enable us to shift to a modified general community quarantine, with lockdowns localized only to specific areas where needed,” she said.

President Rodrigo R. Duterte locked down the entire Luzon island in March last year, shutting schools and public transportation to contain the pandemic. The lockdown has since been eased but physical classes remain banned.

NEDA Secretary Karl Kendrick T. Chua early this month said face-to-face classes should be allowed again because remote learning has affected the quality of education. He had warned about the long-term impact of the pandemic on the economy.

Ms. Sombilla said they expect the economy to go back to pre-crisis levels by the middle of next year if lockdown restrictions are eased, more businesses are allowed to operate and more people get vaccinated.

Economic managers expect economic output to grow by 6-7% this year and by 7-9% in 2022.

Recovery programs such as the second stimulus package, enforcement of a law that lowered the corporate income tax and streamlined incentives and the passage of other key economic bills are crucial to growth, Ms. Sombilla said.

The Commission on Higher Education has allowed some universities and colleges to hold limited face-to-face classes in the second semester of the current school year for third and fourth year medical students.

Several lawmakers in March filed a resolution asking the government to begin the pilot tests for face-to-face classes in 1,065 schools in areas with a low infection rate. — Beatrice M. Laforga

‘Sara for President’ movement endorsed by palace spokesman

Davao Mayor Sara Duterte-Carpio

PRESIDENT Rodrigo R. Duterte’s spokesman on Thursday endorsed a movement seeking to persuade his daughter to run for President next year.

“I support the Run Sara Run movement,” presidential spokesman Herminio L. Roque, Jr. told a televised news briefing after attending a meeting of local officials in Bulacan where they urged Davao City Mayor Sara Duterte-Carpio to run.

“But I respect that the decision will have to be made by Mayor Sara herself.”

Mr. Roque, who earlier asked the opposition to stop politicking amid a coronavirus pandemic, added: “I’ve added my voice to the voices of many who believe that she should be the next president of the country.”

The Palace spokesman on Wednesday said he would only run for a national position next year if Ms. Carpio decides to run for President.

He also said he would support a possible bid by Senator Lawrence T. Go for the presidency, with Mr. Duterte as his running mate, if Ms. Carpio rejects the calls of her supporters.

Ms. Carpio is among those being considered by the President to become the ruling party’s standard bearer in the 2022 elections, Mr. Roque said last week.

Mr. Duterte on Tuesday night claimed to have discouraged his daughter from running for the post.

Also included on the list of Mr. Duterte’s presidential bets are former Senator Ferdinand R. Marcos, Jr., Manila Mayor Francisco M. Domagoso, Senators Christopher Lawrence T. Go and boxing champion Senator Emmanuel “Manny” D. Pacquiao, Mr. Roque said. — Kyle Aristophere T. Atienza

Duterte may prioritize law on baselines

REUTERS

THE PRESIDENTIAL Palace is reviewing a bill that seeks to change the Philippines’ 13-year old law on baselines so the country could better assert its rights in the South China Sea.

President Rodrigo R. Duterte might certify the measure as urgent and endorse it for congressional approval at his last state of the nation address (SONA) next month, his spokesman said on Thursday.

“It’s subjected now to complete staff work,” presidential spokesman Herminio L. Roque, Jr. told a televised news briefing. “I made the additional request that if the President so agrees, then it should also be included in the SONA so the message to Congress is loud and clear.”

Retired Supreme Court Justice Francis H. Jardeleza earlier asked the Executive branch to draft a measure on the country’s sea borders so it could better enforce a 2016 Hague ruling that invalidated China’s claim to more than 80% of the South China Sea.

Mr. Roque said the President was “very appreciative” of the suggestion.

The law declares the Philippines as an archipelagic state and uses the straight baseline method to set up sea boundaries with neighboring coastal states.

Mr. Roque has said the law, passed in 2009 to comply with the United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea (UNCLOS), cut the area of the country’s territorial sea.

He added that UNCLOS had not been effective in deterring Chinese presence in the South China Sea because it only covers territorial waters, not islands. — Kyle Aristophere T. Atienza

Too much expected, too little given to local governments in waste management — PIDS study

DENR.GOV.PH

WASTE management has been simply dumped on the shoulders of local government units (LGUs) while they lack resources, resulting in the poor implementation of the Ecological Solid Waste Management Act of 2000, a Philippine Institute for Development Studies (PIDS) report said.

“Communities are passive. Barangays are heavily dependent on cities and municipal governments,” Sonny N. Domingo, one of the authors of the report, said at a webinar on Thursday.

“Barangays are also given so much in terms of mandate and responsibility, but they are the least empowered in terms of capacity and resource.”

The report undertaken with Arvie Joy A. Manejar looked into the implementation of Republic Act 9003 or the Ecological Solid Waste Management Act of 2000 through case studies.

“Among (the law’s) critical provisions were the formal devolution of waste management to local levels, the forced closure of illegal dumpsites and investment on facilities; and the reduction and proper treatment of solid wastes,” the report published in January said.

“The overly simplistic transfer of responsibility to LGUs have largely resulted to two decades of mediocre policy grounding.”

The report said that barangays would handle waste segregation and collection, while municipalities handled hazardous waste.

“It was apparent that although much responsibility was expected from the barangay level, limitations in resources made them dependent on municipal initiatives,” the report said.

“Funding for waste collection equipment, wages of personnel, and the establishment of MRFs (materials recovery facilities) most often came from the city/municipal governments.”

Various LGUs, particularly small towns, have in the past defended their non-compliance to the law due to financial as well as technical capacity limitations on setting up required waste management facilities such as sanitary landfill.

Mr. Domingo said that local government reliance on policy grounding should be revisited. “LGU full autonomy is not working,” he said.

The pandemic, he added, created new requirements for more worker safety protection and strict waste handling. — Jenina P. Ibañez

Senators want to give coconut farmers more time to register

PHILSTAR FILE PHOTO

SENATORS want to extend the deadline for the registration of coconut farmers who will benefit from the trust fund law and allow continuing registration for those who will not meet the set date.

The Senate committee on agriculture on Thursday tackled the status of the Coconut Farmers Registry, which under Republic Act No. 11524 or the Coconut Farmers and Industry Trust Fund Act should be completed by the Philippine Coconut Authority (PCA) in 90 days or by June 11.

Senator Risa N. Hontiveros-Baraquel proposed an extension of another 90 days to Sept. 9.

Senator Cynthia A. Villar, chairperson of the committee on agriculture, recommended to altogether lift the deadline and make the registration for the coco levy funds “continuing.”

Registration has reached more than 50% of the around 3.5 million target, Ms. Villar said. “My suggestion is it is a continuing registry since we have achieved ‘yung (the) more than 50% then we can go ahead with our coco levy fund distribution,” she said in the hearing.

Senator Francis N. Pangilinan, meanwhile, suggested maintaining a deadline to compel coconut farmers to register, but would still have continuous registration for those who cannot meet it.

PCA Administrator Benjamin R. Madrigal, Jr. said a total of 2.8 million farmers have been registered as of June 8.

He said this is composed of around 2.5 million farmers on record from 2015 to 2018 and around 315,000 new registrants. About 14,000 of those in the list were undergoing validation.

President Rodrigo R. Duterte in February signed RA 11524 which allows coconut farmers to benefit from the taxes collected from them totaling about P76 billion during the Marcos administration. The law also sought to declare coconut levy assets as trust funds to modernize and rehabilitate the coconut industry. — Vann Marlo M. Villegas

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