LAWMAKERS are in a tug of war on whether local government units (LGUs) should already lift the temporary bans they imposed on the transport and sale of live hogs and pork-related products amid African swine fever (ASF) scare.
Isabela First District Rep. Antonio “Tonypet” Albano maintained that many provinces, such as Isabela, remain free from ASF due to the temporary bans put in placed by the respective LGUs.
“Because of the ban, Isabela is still free from ASF. Unfortunately, it does raise concerns to economic concerns for hog growers,” Albano said during a joint hearing by the House of Representatives Committees on Agriculture and Food and Local Government last Monday.
“We will stick with the ban until the swine fever has been totally eradicated. We have a huge industry of hog raisers and we are also affected as a lot of our hog growers want to sell outside [but cannot],” Albano added.
However, House Committee on Local Government Chairman Rep. Noel Villanueva of the Third District of Tarlac said LGUs should not act like an “empire” in this time of crisis.
“LGUs are not empires. LGUs are sovereign subdivisions in one sovereign nation. One province cannot act as one empire,” Villanueva said during the hearing.
“Provinces are acting on their own. We need a national framework to follow and complied with by all the stakeholders. We cannot act individually in this issue. We should adhere to the one nation approach,” Villanueva added.
However, Albano refuted Villanueva’s point and argued that Isabela “is not a province of empire” and the provincial government did not violate any laws in imposing a temporary ban.
“We’re not defying the national of the Department of Agriculture. Even the [Department of the Interior and Local Government] has opined already that they leave this to the province’s discretion,” he said.
Such discretion was given, Albano added, “because we know for a fact how the situation is on the ground. One of the fast-acting measures of the LGUs in the ground is strictly imposing bans.” Albano pointed out that LGUs swiftly imposed a temporary ban since the national government, in this case the DA, “did not impose the right restrictions right away.”
Albano asserted “the only controls we had that time that the ASF broke out [was to ban]. It is the right of the LGU to protect is local hog industries.”
‘Economic mess’
Nonetheless, Albano said the temporary bans have led to an “economic mess” since provinces, especially those free from ASF, are unable to transport and sell their live hogs and pork-related products to other areas.
“I lament this. This is an economic mess. Who wants this to happen? We have to protect our borders,” he said. The congressman proposed that the government hold a national summit to be attended by lawmakers, national government officials and LGU officials to thresh out issues related to ASF, such as the prevailing temporary bans.
“We need stricter measures and talk about it as a whole but leave the protection of the provinces to the LGUs. They are the CEOs of the provinces,” he said.
In a statement issued during the hearing, Meat Importers and Traders Association President Jesus C. Cham appealed to the lawmakers to “reason out” with their respective LGUs and reconsider the temporary bans they imposed due to ASF.
Cham said the prevailing temporary bans have resulted in economic damage due to loss of markets for meat products.
“We pray the Honorable Congressmen will reason with your respective LGUs to abide by DA and [Food and Drug Administration] guidelines on the transport of fresh and processed pork meat, as well as other meats, in order that trade and commerce may return to normal,” he said.
“Our economy is already suffering severe damage, and our consumers burdened with unnecessary hardship. Let us prevent more damage and suffering,” Cham added.
Image credits: Daniel Acker/Bloomberg