The mayor of Candon City in Ilocos Norte on Thursday said animal traders and meat capitalists operating in their city are now required to register and be accredited by the City Veterinary Office and City Business Permits and Licensing Office to ensure a safe and sufficient meat supply in the market. Mayor Eric Singson said the requirement is part of the city government’s proactive measures to protect consumers from hoarding, profiteering, and cartels with respect to the supply, distribution, marketing, and pricing of goods during calamity, emergency, and price manipulation. Executive Order 50, issued by Singson, states that the current price of pork per live weight kilo ranges from PHP150 to PHP170 while the selling price ranges from PHP200 to PHP280 per kilo. ‘It is imperative and urgent to ensure that basic necessities are adequate, affordable, and accessible for all,’ Singson said in a statement. Once registered and accredited, “animal traders and meat capitalists shall enter into a memorandum of understanding with the city government wherein traders will be compelled to supply meat to the city in case of meat shortage and animal disease outbreaks. In case of oversupply, traders shall also help in the marketing of excess production,” the EO said. Traders are also required to supply at least 60 percent of pigs to the city slaughterhouse from local livestock raisers to ensure a livestock market from Candonian farmers, producing an estimated 660 heads or more per month. All animal traders doing business in Candon are also required to secure a barangay permit and a veterinary health certificate of where the animals were obtained. Singson reiterated that traders failing to comply with the order will be dealt with accordingly under the provisions of Republic Act (RA) 7581 or the Price Act, as amended by RA 10623. To date, Candon still imposes a temporary ban on the transport of swine and selling of pork and its by-products from areas affected by the African swine fever. Candon is known to have one of the largest populations of swine producers, with a majority of them being backyard raisers. Records show that the city slaughterhouse butchers an average of 1,100 swine and 100 cattle and carabao per month.
Source: Philippines News Agency
