The Department of Agriculture (DA) defended Executive Order (EO) 116 on Tuesday, June 2, 2026, asserting that the planned increase in pork import allocations remains necessary as the country faces renewed risks from African Swine Fever (ASF) and mounting inflationary pressures linked to the ongoing crisis in the Middle East.
Agriculture secretary clarifies EO 116
Agriculture Secretary Francisco Tiu Laurel Jr. issued the clarification after Agap Party-list Rep. Nicanor Briones questioned the relevance of the measure during a congressional hearing, suggesting that it was no longer timely and had been issued without the agriculture chief’s knowledge. The agriculture secretary rejected the claim, stating that the proposal was requested last year when pork prices were rising sharply and domestic supply remained constrained by ASF-related losses.
“EO 116 was crafted to help stabilize pork prices and ensure consumers have access to more affordable food,” Tiu Laurel said. “While the proposal was initiated last year, the conditions that justified it remain—and may even be more pronounced today.”
Current economic pressures
According to Laurel, rising global oil prices are adding to inflationary pressures, while the onset of the southwest monsoon increases the likelihood of fresh ASF outbreaks that could disrupt hog production and further tighten pork supply.
“Historically, ASF infections tend to increase during the rainy season. If supply is affected again, pork prices could climb as they did before. This measure provides an added layer of protection for consumers and serves as a precautionary food security measure,” he said.
Laurel emphasized that EO 116 has yet to take effect because its implementing rules and regulations (IRR) still need to be drafted and approved. President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. has directed the DA to prepare the guidelines.
“EO 116 is not self-executing. The IRR will ensure that the interests of consumers, hog raisers, importers and other stakeholders are properly balanced,” he said.
Details of the executive order
The executive order seeks to increase the minimum access volume (MAV) for pork imports to help cushion the domestic market from potential supply shocks, temper pork prices and contain inflation should ASF cases rise anew during the rainy season or if fuel-related inflation worsens. As an added safeguard, the government plans to allocate an additional 30,000 metric tons of pork imports to meat processors to help prevent increases in the prices of processed pork products. The remaining 120,000 metric tons will be allocated either to the Food Terminal Inc. or the Kadiwa ng Pangulo program to ensure sufficient government stocks that can be used to stabilize pork prices in the event of supply disruptions.
Industry opposition
Recently, the Producers Federation of the Philippines Inc. (ProPork) described EO 116 as “unnecessary and counterproductive” to an already recovering local hog industry. ProPork urged the government to revoke the increased MAV, institutionalize consultations with hog raisers and cooperatives, and prioritize supply chain modernization over further import liberalization.
“We are not against importation. But flooding our market while our local industry is still on its feet is not fair competition — it is a death sentence for Filipino hog farmers,” the federation said.
