The Department of Agriculture (DA) revealed that it is now studying proposals to recall the executive order implementing price ceiling for meat products.

The announcement comes as senators say that the move only resulted to tighter meat supply and failed to lower prices.

Agriculture Secretary William Dar talked about the possibility of asking Malacañang to withdraw the controversial EO 124 issued last February 1 amid the prolonged “pork and chicken holiday” by market vendors in Metro Manila.

“As regards supply, we still have enough supply, we mobilized hogs from regions in the country. Even the prices are going down and it’s working,” Dar said during the Senate committee on agriculture and food last Monday.

“We are going to study your recommendation on the price ceiling, if we can recommend to the President to stop it,” Dar said.

The prices of chicken and pork products continue to increase amid the implementation of the price ceiling.

Vendors also lamented the lack of government support during its implementation and forced them to hold holidays to oppose the move.

President Rodrigo Duterte issued the EO that set price caps of PHP270 per kilo for kasim or pork shoulder, PHP300 per kilo for liempo or pork belly, and PHP160 per kilo for dressed chicken.

Why has it come to this, pork holidays? And they have been forced to stop selling and transporting,” Senator Risa Hontiveros asked.

“Clearly, imposing these price ceilings has only worsened our food crisis,” she added.

The senator also lamented that the price ceiling for 60 days was too long and vendors may quit selling meats if the ceiling continues. (TDT)

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