Agri dept urged to immediately release transport, cash aid to hog raisers

MANILA - The Department of Agriculture must immediately release assistance to hog raisers hit by African swine fever, Senator Cynthia Villar said Tuesday.

"Syempre mga mahihirap na farmer pag 'di mo binayaran ipupuslit nila yan eh, kasi basic needs nila yan. Wala na silang income kung di nila naipuslit yan kaya kahit may ASF pinupuslit nila," she told ABS-CBN's Teleradyo.

(If poor farmers have no income, they will smuggle hogs even if it has ASF because it's their basic need.)

"Katulad ng bayad sa culling, dapat yung ganyan dapat yan mabilis ilabas," she added when asked about transportation assistance.

(As with assistance for culling, transport aid should also be released immediately.)

• Agri dept to help in hog shipments to Metro Manila

Senators earlier slammed Agriculture Secretary William Dar for proposing to lower tariffs for meat imports. The tariff should instead be used to aid struggling hog raisers, Villar said.

• Agriculture Sec. Dar sinabon sa Senado dahil sa 'pagpanig' sa meat importers