Kiko Pangilinan

A few days after expressing support for hog raisers’ call to increase farmgate pork prices and tighten import controls, Senator Francis “Kiko” Pangilinan filed a Senate resolution seeking an inquiry into the current state of the Philippine livestock and poultry industries.

The inquiry will identify measures to strengthen local production, protect the livelihoods of hog and poultry raisers, and ensure stable domestic supply of meat and other animal products.

The senator and chair of the Senate Committee on Agriculture, Food, and Agrarian Reform filed Proposed Senate Resolution No. 726 on October 8 amid continuing challenges confronting local livestock and poultry producers, including declining farmgate prices, rising production costs, animal disease outbreaks, and competition from imported products.

“Resolved by the Senate, as it is hereby resolved, to direct the Senate Committee on Agriculture, Food, and Agrarian Reform to conduct an inquiry, in aid of legislation, into the state of the Philippine livestock and poultry industries, with particular focus on the depressed farmgate prices of hogs and broiler chicken amid escalating feed and production costs,” the resolution read.

It further stated that the resolution aims to ensure “the viability of local producers, safeguarding rural livelihoods, and securing affordable and sustainable food supply for Filipino consumers.”

Pangilinan’s moves come amid reports from the Department of Agriculture (DA) that farmgate prices for liveweight hogs have dropped to only P120 to P160 per kilogram in some areas, far below the P210 per kilo minimum farmgate price agreed upon by the DA and hog industry groups.

The prevailing farmgate prices are currently below the estimated cost of production at P180 to P190 per kilo, the senator said in the resolution. This has led to an estimated P250 million loss per day for hog raisers.

According to Pangilinan, poultry raisers face a similar situation, with reports that broiler farmgate prices fell as low as P65 per kilo in major producing areas in April 2026.

Despite the drop in farmgate prices, the Philippine Statistics Authority (PSA) reported that the national average retail price of P295.58 per kilogram for fresh pork, meat with bones, in the second phase of September 2026 is down only 9.6% from P327.03 a year ago.

“Continuously depressed farmgate prices alongside high production costs may force hog and poultry raisers, especially small and backyard raisers, to reduce production or exit the industry altogether, thereby deepening the country’s dependence on imports and undermining long-term food security,” the resolution read.

Pangilinan’s legislative agenda is centered on agricultural reform and modernization, with a strong focus on empowering farmers and fisherfolk, strengthening rural development, and advancing measures to achieve national food security.