Senators, economic managers agree to amend Duterte EO on pork tariff

Senators and government economic managers have finally reached a compromise on the adjustment of tariff rates and volume for the importation of pork.

“Compromised reached!” Senate President Vicente Sotto III told reporters Wednesday, May 5, citing a “seesaw of discussion on both the MAV (minimum access volume) and tariff.”

Sotto later confirmed that President Duterte's Executive Order No. 128, which modifies the tariff for imported pork products, “will be amended”.

While he has left to Fi

nance Secretary Carlos Dominguez III to announce the terms they have agreed upon, Sotto said both parties have managed to “strike a balance” on the need to address inflation and the concerns of local swine industry.

The compromise is expected to avert a possible deadlock between the legislative and executive departments on the issue of pork importation.

Senators have been opposed to the government's policy to reduce the import duties for pork products to a low of five to 10 percent, from the current rates of 30 to 40 percent.

The Cabinet economic cluster, on the other hand, had rejected the senators' counter-offer to reduce the tariffs only by half.

The executive department had earlier agreed to a 254,000-metric ton MAV proposed by senators, instead of the 404,210 MT they initially recommended to President Duterte.

Sotto had said he wanted to avoid a “confrontation” when they resume regular sessions on May 17, specifically when senators move to invalidate Duterte’s EO No. 128.

“Kasi ayaw kong mangyari 'yong komprontasyon sa May 17, eh. 'Pag hindi tayo nagkasundo, 'pag hindi kami nagkasundo, hindi ko mapipigilan ang kahit sino sa amin sa Senado at sa Kongreso... may mag-file ng joint resolution at baka bawiin namin yong delegated power namin na binigay sa Presidente (Because I don't want a confrontation come May 17. If we failed to reach a compromise, I cannot prevent my colleagues in the Senate, or even in Congress, from filing a joint resolution that would revoke the power we delegated to the President),” Sotto told DWIZ last Saturday, May 1.