Senator Kiko Pangilinan has reassured Filipino hog raisers who continue to be affected by the African swine fever (ASF) that the Senate will pass the resolution urging President Rodrigo Duterte to declare a state of calamity.
Pangilinan made the statement after senators agreed with his resolution urging the Department of Agriculture (DA) to recommend to the President the declaration of a state of calamity due to ASF.
The former food security czar recently met with agriculture stakeholders in Isabela who told him that over 80 percent of the pigs culled in Cagayan Valley (Region 2) are from the province.
“My Senate Resolution 676 was met with approval from my colleagues.”
The veteran legislator told them his Senate Resolution 676 was met with approval from his colleagues.
Proposed Senate Resolution No. 676 cites the possible use of the National Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Fund and Quick Response Fund to supplement the DA’s efforts to contain and manage ASF.
Said funds can only be utilized if a state of calamity is declared.
“Pag meron nang deklarasyon ng state of calamity, yung P20-billion calamity fund ng NDRRMC ngayon, pwedeng kunin dyan ng DA ang kulang na pondo nila para sa ASF. Dahil may national state of calamity at may disaster fund, kukunin at ilalaan ito para sa sektor ng magbababoy,” the senator said.
“Kapag nag-declare ng state of calamity, iyong savings na maaring malikom pwede ring ire-align at dalhin sa sektor ng magbabababoy,” he added.
According to DA Regional Director for Cagayan Valley (Region 2) Narciso Edillo, only 4 of the 37 municipalities in Isabela remain ASF-free with all towns in the mainland already infected.
“Yung livelihood, nakakuha naman tayo ng konti sa Bayanihan. At iyon po ang ginagawa namin: iyong repopulation, iyon pong mga na-ASF. Region 2, lalo na po sa Isabela, grabe and epekto ng ASF,” Edillo said.
He added the region still owes hog-raisers P169 million for the culled pigs.
Edillo said the Department of Budget and Management is yet to release the fund.
“Hog raisers are struggling to start over.”
Engr. Dominador Lamug, municipal agriculturist of San Agustin in Isabela and the representative of the San Agustin Dairy Farm, reported that hog raisers are struggling to start over.
“Nagkaroon po kami ng ASF dito. Medyo nawalan na po kami ng mga baboy dito sa San Agustin. Before ASF, meron kaming 2,826 na baboy. Pero ngayon, 1,200 na lang. So ang kailangan po namin, pa’no po kami mag-umpisa ulit?” Lamug said.
“Isa pa po, iyong ma na-cull namin, hinihiling ng mga farmers na sana mabayaran na rin ng gobyerno para maumpisahan ulit ang pagho-hog,” he said.
Pangilinan proposed that hog raisers be the priority in hiring for cash-for-work programs related to ASF.
“Kailangang sila ang priority na bigyan ng trabaho para yung kinita nila sa pagbabantay, pupunuan yung nawala nilang kita sa baboy. Para meron naman silang pinagkukunan ng panggastos sa pang-araw-araw dahil sila naman ngayon ang nagmomobilisa sa barangay para bantayan yung ASF. Pondo rin yun na manggagaling kung merong calamity declaration,” he said.
As of December 2020, the ASF outbreak has already cost the Philippine swine industry P56 billion.
The ASF outbreak is blamed for the spike in retail prices of pork due to the dwindling supply in Luzon.