Senator Cynthia Villar has vowed that she would give the Philippines’ livestock industry a much-needed boost.
“The livestock sector comprising of cattle, hogs, poultry, and dairy should be able to guarantee food security and reduce poverty in the countryside by giving better income and jobs to farmers and their families,” said Villar.
“The sector’s development can improve availability and affordability of safe and nutritious livestock, poultry and dairy products for the 110 million Filipinos, she added.
Villar, chair of the Senate committed on agriculture, food, and agrarian reform noted that this sector’s issues and problems should be addressed.
She said she will also seek the help of the Department of Finance to conduct a study on the competitiveness of the country’s livestock sector to be the basis of the draft bill. The National Economic and Development Authority (NEDA) and Philippine Institute for Development Studies (PIDS) report their findings during the hearing.
There are several bills related to this matter, which include Senate Bill No. 139 authored by Villar and Sen. Nancy Binay, that seek to strengthen and rationalize the livestock industry to promote its development, protection, and regulatory functions. This shall cover dairy and native animals, poultry, and the establishment of a livestock development fund to secure yearly government support.
Villar said the proposed measure, along with Senate Bill 1297 filed by Sen. Lito Lapid, will further boost the country’s capacity for early detection and preventive response to livestock diseases.
“The government’s thrust must be that of early detection and control of the disease to prevent it from reaching the level of an outbreak and from spreading across entire regions,” she added.
“The African Swine Fever which hit the industry in 2019 which resulted in the culling of thousands of pigs, wiping out entire farms and growers and local governments frantically imposing entry bans for all pork and pork-related or commingled products from disease-stricken
areas. The outbreak adversely affected the 260 Billion-peso swine industry of the country,” Villar said.
A NEDA’s presentation emphasized that yellow corn is the main component of animal feed production and the main driver of livestock and poultry prices. The yellow corn industry and animal feed promotion and propagation have to be considered in crafting the development of the sector as well, like substituting corn with high protein vegetable as livestock feeds.
The Department of Agriculture should have agencies for regulatory and disease control and development at the same time. Both are very
important in supporting livestock, poultry, and dairy industry.