To assure consumers that there are readily available and affordable supplies of pork and chicken, Department of Agriculture (DA) Undersecretary for Livestock Deogracias Victor Savellano visited the meat section of major supermarkets on May 28, 2024.

“Ito’y isang trade check para makita natin iyong presyo ng baboy at manok kung affordable ba, kung accessible ba, and importante, kung available. Nakita natin sa tatlong supermarket na pinuntahan natin na available, affordable, at accessible ang baboy at manok,” Undersecretary Savellano said.

The DA official, together with North Star Meat Merchant Inc. President Anthony Ng, checked the meat prices at WalterMart, SM Hypermarket, and SM Supermarket, all located in North EDSA.

The major supermarkets offer whole chicken at P160/kilogram (kg), pork liempo at P345/kg, and pork kasim at P265/kg that are lower than the weekly average retail price in NCR markets based on the DA Bantay Presyo report. For the period May 20–25, 2024, the Bantay Presyo report shows the average retail price of whole chicken is at P189.14/kg, liempo at P379.03/kg, and kasim at P338.26/kg.

While showing that the consumers have options for low-priced meat, Savellano also highlighted that the inspected supermarkets comply with the food safety requirements of the DA-National Meat Inspection Service (NMIS).

“Kapag tayo po ay magbebenta ng local, dapat po meron tayong NMIS permit na visible po iyan sa ating mga mamimili at pag may imported naman naka-display, meron tayong Certificate of Meat Inspection. Itong dalawang dokumento, dapat po lagi itong naka-display sa ating mga consumers, dapat nakikita nila iyan at all times,” Ng explained.

As a longtime partner of the DA in supporting local farmers and helping consumers, Ng shared that having 25 years of experience in the retail setting, using technologies, and knowing when to order stocks help them supply affordable meat. ### (Gumamela Celes Bejarin, DA-AFID)