Imported pork sold in supermarkets also covered by price cap — Palace

MANILA, Philippines — Imported pork sold in supermarkets will also be subjected to the 60-day price cap in Metro Manila, Malacañang said Thursday.

“Kahapon po, nangako ang DTI [Department of Trade and Industry] sa pamamagitan ni Secretary [Ramon] Lopez na henceforth magkakaroon po ng label na imported ang baboy na binibenta sa supermarket,” presidential spokesperson Harry Roque said in an online Palace briefing.

(Yesterday, DTI Secretary Lopez promised that henceforth, imported pork in supermarkets will have labels.)

“At kapag ito ay imported na baboy, subject na rin po sya sa price cap,” he added.

(And if the pork is imported, it will also be subjected to the price cap.)

Roque noted that imported pork costs P114 per kilo, inclusive of tariff while local hog raises shell out P171 for a kilo of pork.

“Sabi ko nga po kagabi, meron tayong prinsipyo, equal protection clause. Kinakailangan things similarly situated must be treated alike. Eh ano ba ang pagkakaiba ng baboy sa supermarket at baboy sa palengke?” Roque said.

(Just like what I said last night, we have a principle of equal protection clause. Things similarly situated must be treated alike. What’s the difference between pork sold in supermarkets and public markets?)

“Sabihin mo nang meron silang additional overhead, pag sila naman ay nag-angkat, mas mura kaysa doon sa nabibili sa lokal. So ngayon po patas,” he went on.

(Let’s say they have an additional overhead, but when they import, it’s cheaper than those sold locally. So now, it’s fair.)

The Department of Agriculture had said the price freeze will only be enforced in Metro Manila’s public or wet markets.

It also gave hog and poultry raisers until February 8 to follow the price cap for pork and chicken sold in Metro Manila.

President Rodrigo Duterte’s Executive Order No. 124 set price ceilings of P270 for a kilo of “kasim or pigue,” P300 per kilo for “liempo,” and P160 per kilo for dressed chicken.

JPV