Laoag council OKs three-tier permit system for hog trade

 

Councilors vote on the measure authored by Laoag Councilor Justine Chua establishing a three-tier permit and price-tracking system for the hog industry in Laoag City. ABC President Rbee Ablan, SK Federated President Rionell Jan Respicio and Councilor Eric Ang voted in favor, while Councilors Jeff Fariñas, John Michael Fariñas and Atty. Jason Bader Perera abstained. (Doms Dela Cruz)

By Dominic B. Dela Cruz. Staff reporter

LAOAG CITY—The Laoag City Sangguniang Panlungsod is moving to impose a three-tier permit and price-tracking system for the hog industry to improve transparency in the trading of live pigs and monitor price increases from hog raisers to the retail market.

City Councilor Justine Clarence G. Chua, chairperson of the Committee on Agriculture and author of the measure, said the system is designed to identify where price increases occur, determine whether they are justified and curb unreasonable markups along the pork supply chain.

Chua said the trading of live pigs involves several stages, from hog raisers and dealers to slaughter facilities and market vendors. He said undocumented transactions and undisclosed profit margins can contribute to excessive markups and create an unjustified gap between farm-gate and retail prices.

“Requiring permits and truthful declaration of purchase details, including the exact price and live weight, creates an official record, ensures transparency, and enables proper monitoring of how costs and earnings are distributed along the supply chain,” Chua said.

The measure is anchored on the Price Act of 1992 and the Meat Inspection Code of the Philippines, which provide for reasonable pricing of basic commodities and the regulation of the movement, slaughter and sale of food animals and meat products.

Under the system, hog dealers must secure a “Barangay Purchase Permit” before buying or transporting live pigs from a farm. The permit must indicate the source of the animals, number of heads, live weight, purchase price and the identities of the buyer and seller.

The punong barangay will verify the transaction and the origin of the hogs before issuing the permit.

Before pigs are accepted for slaughter, dealers must present the “Barangay Purchase Permit” and secure a “Slaughter Verification Permit”. A further permit will be required before the resulting meat can enter market stalls or meat shops, allowing authorities to trace the product through the supply chain.

The system effectively imposes a “no permit, no entry, no slaughter, no market access” policy.

Hog dealers operating in Laoag must also obtain a city-issued “Hog Dealer’s Business Permit”. Backyard raisers who bring their own hogs directly for slaughter may secure a separate “Barangay Raiser’s Permit”, provided the animals were raised on their own premises and were not acquired from other sources.

For hogs sourced outside Laoag, the measure provides an alternative procedure requiring documents establishing the livestock’s lawful origin.

The proposed rules also prohibit buying or transporting pigs without the required permits, making incomplete or undervalued declarations, slaughtering without proper documentation, selling meat that cannot be traced through the permit system, falsifying permits and operating as an unlicensed hog dealer.

Hog raisers face a PHP2,000 fine for a first offense, PHP3,000 for a second offense with suspension of their permit, and PHP5,000 plus cancellation of the permit for third and subsequent offenses.

For hog dealers, penalties include a PHP2,000 fine for a first offense, PHP3,000 and a five-day suspension of operations for a second offense, and PHP5,000 plus permanent revocation of registration for third and subsequent offenses.

The measure was approved by the Sangguniang Panlungsod, with councilors Juan Conrado A. Respicio II, Edison U. Chua, Enrico F. Ang, Roque Benjamin C. Ablan, Justine Clarence G. Chua and Rionell Jan P. Respicio voting in favor.

Councilors Jeff Ericson P. Fariñas, John Michael V. Fariñas and Atty. Jason Bader Ll. Perera abstained, citing concerns over provisions involving transactions originating in other local government units and questions regarding jurisdiction. They also sought further discussion on procedures affecting vendors and piggery owners who raise and sell their own hogs.

The measure will still undergo the remaining legislative and approval requirements, including review by the higher sanggunian and approval by the city mayor. Since it carries penal provisions, it must also be posted for the required period and published in a newspaper of general circulation, where available, before it can take effect.