Tolentino vows better protection for PH poultry raisers, stronger measures vs meat smuggling
October 10, 2024
Tolentino vows better protection for PH poultry raisers, stronger measures vs meat smuggling
Senate Majority Leader Francis 'Tol' Tolentino on Thursday pledged to address the concerns of small and medium-scale poultry raisers by pushing for additional support for the domestic industry, and stronger measures against the smuggling of imported meat products.
In his regular radio program, 'Usapang Tol,' the senator agreed with Gregorio San Diego, Chairperson of the United Broiler Raisers Association (UBRA), that more can be done to curb the smuggling of imported meat, which is marginalizing local producers.
San Diego noted that aside from the 480 million kilos of frozen chicken that will be imported next year and 470 million kilos this year, local producers have been railing against the unabated smuggling of imported meat.
Tolentino shared San Diego's concern, saying, "We need to understand the root cause of this problem. I will discuss this with Department of Agriculture (DA) Secretary Francisco Laurel. He is very considerate and understands your situation."
The senator added that he has been invited to speak at the DA's observance of the 31st Meat Safety Consciousness Week, where he plans to take up the matter with Laurel.
Related to this, San Diego asked the senator to look into how authorities had been disposing of seized smuggled meat.
The senator strongly agreed, stressing that the contraband must not be allowed to enter the market. He also suggested for specialized agencies, like the National Nutrition Council, to step in to evaluate the safety and nutritional value of frozen imported meat products, including those that had been in cold storage for months or even years before being sold locally.
He likewise acknowledged San Diego's concern on the urgency of setting up a first border facility to screen imported meats for safety and diseases.
To recall, the lack of a first border facility was identified by a Senate inquiry last month as among the factors that led to the spread of African Swine Fever (ASF) in the country.
The Senate inquiry was prompted by Senate Resolution 565 filed by Tolentino, which called on President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. to declare a national state of calamity to address the ASF outbreak, in view of the latter's widespread effect on domestic production and hog growers' livelihoods.
Dagdag-proteksyon sa local poultry industry, mas mahigpit na hakbang vs. meat smuggling, suportado ni Tol
Dagdag-proteksyon sa local poultry industry, mas mahigpit na hakbang vs. meat smuggling, suportado ni Tol
Inihayag ni Senate Majority Leader Francis 'Tol' Tolentino ang mahigpit n'yang suporta sa domestic poultry industry sa harap ng nagpapatuloy na problema ukol sa smuggling o pagpupuslit ng imported na karne sa lokal na merkado.
Ito ang binigyang-diin ni Tolentino sa kanyang panayam kay Gregorio San Diego, pinuno ng United Broiler Raisers Association (UBRA) sa regular na programa ng senador sa radyo, ang 'Usapang Tol.'
Ayon kay San Diego, bukod pa sa 480 milyong kilo ng frozen chicken na papasok sa isang taon at 460 milyong kilo ngayong taon, dumadaing din ang mga lokal na prodyuser ng manok sa 'di maampat na smuggling ng naturang produkto.
Bilang tugon, siniguro ni Tolentino kay San Diego na kanyang tatalakayin ang hinaning ng kanilang industrya kay Kalihim Francisco Laurel ng Department of Agriculture (DA).
Ani Tolentino, naimbitahan sya bilang panauhin sa paggunita ng DA sa 31st Meat Safety Consciousness Week, kung saan makakasama nya si Laurel.
Kaugnay nito, idinulog ni San Diego na kung maaari'y busisiin ng senador kung paano sinisira ng mga awtoridad ang mga nakumpiskang smuggled meat dahil sa pangamba na maaaring nare- 'recycle' ang mga ito.
Sa tugon ni Tolentino, sinabi nito na dapat lang na hindi na muling maipuslit sa merkado ang mga kontrabando, dahil sa panganib nito sa kalusugan at komunidad.
Dagdag ng senador, dapat ding maging aktibo ang mga ahensya tulad ng National Nutrition Council sa pagsusuri sa kaligtasan, at kung mayroon nga bang nalalabing nutritional value ang mga imported meat na kadalasa'y inaabot ng buwan o maging taon na nasa frozen storage bago ito ibenta sa merkado.
Sumang-ayon din ang senador sa pananaw ni San Diego na dapat bigyang prayoridad ng pamahalaan ang pagtataguyod ng first border facility na syang sasala sa mga inangkat na karne para matukoy ang anumang kontaminasyon o sakit na taglay nito.
Magugunita na sa imbestigasyon ng Senado noong Setyembre, ang kakulangan ng first border facility ang nakita bilang isa sa mga dahilan sa pagkalat ng African Swine Fever (ASF) sa bansa.
Ang naturang imbestigasyon ay bunsod ng Senate Resolution 565 na inihain ni Tolentino. Nanawagan ang resolusyon kay President Pangulong Ferdinand Marcos Jr. na magdeklara ng 'national state of calamity' para maampat ang pagkalat ng ASF na sumisira sa kabuhayan at nagpadapa sa produksyon ng mga lokal na hog raisers.
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