Agriculture Secretary William D. Dar has formed an inter-agency committee that would craft the implementing guidelines of Executive Order (EO) 133, which mandated the increase in the minimum access volume (MAV) for pork.
Dar recently issued Special Order 333, which created the inter-agency committee to be led by Agriculture Assistant Secretary Noel Padre, who heads the Department of Agriculture’s (DA) Policy Research Service.
The DA chief said the committee was created to ensure that the allocation of the increased pork MAV would be “fair and open to all qualified importers of pork meat.”
The members of the inter-agency committee include Bureau of Animal Industry Director Reildrin Morales, National Meat Inspection Service Executive Director and MAV Secretariat head Jocelyn Salvador. Ruth Miclat Sonaco, who heads the DA’s National Livestock Program, is also part of the committee.
Dar instructed the committee to submit its recommendation to him not later than May 21.
Last week, President Duterte issued EO 133 which authorized the increase of the pork MAV for this year to 254,210 metric tons (MT) from 54,210 MT. The increase in MAV, also known as MAV plus, is part of the Executive’s twin proposal together with the reduction of pork tariffs to boost domestic supply and temper rising pork prices.
“The MAV of pork meat for the MAV Year 2021 of 54,210 MT is hereby increased to 254,210 MT, provided that any unavailable balance at the end of 2021 shall not be carried over to 2022,” EO 133 read.
EO 133 took effect immediately last week after its publication in the Official Gazette.
The BusinessMirror broke the story last March that talks on the implementing guidelines for the increase in pork MAV have been halted due to disagreement among members of the MAV Advisory Council (MAV-AC). (Related story: https://businessmirror.com.ph/2021/03/31/talks-on-draft-guidelines-on-mav-allocations-halted/)
The draft guidelines, a copy of which was obtained by the BusinessMirror, would authorize the DA, current chairman of the MAV-MC, to “allocate specific MAV volume for Visayas, Mindanao and Luzon” if necessary upon consultation with the MAV-AC, and if pork supply situation in the various regions would warrant it. Jasper Emmanuel Y. Arcalas
Sources familiar with the matter earlier told the BusinessMirror that the draft guidelines will be finalized by the MAV-AC before being recommended to the interagency MAV Management Committee (MMC) for approval and implementation.
However, due to the creation of the inter-agency committee, sources told the BusinessMirror that the MAV-AC may be bypassed to fast-track the crafting of the MAV plus implementing guidelines.
“No mention of the MAV Advisory Council. Given the short timeline, maybe it will be bypassed,” Meat Importers and Traders Association President Jesus C. Cham, who represents the meat importers in the MAV-AC, told the BusinessMirror.
“[It’s] good that Padre and Dr. Salvador are on board. They are experienced and well versed on the MAV mechanism.”
Federation of Free Farmers National Manager Raul Q. Montemayor, who represents the grains sector at the MAV-AC, maintained that the MAV-AC is the “proper group” that should address issues related to the implementing guidelines of the pork MAV plus.
Based on DA Administrative Order 8 Series of 1997, which outlined the implementing rules and regulation of the country’s MAV system, the MAV-AC role is to “advise the MMC on all matters relating to the allocation of the MAVs.”
The MAV-AC is also tasked to “review the results of the annual audit of the implementation of the MAV mechanism.”