To provide consumers access to low-cost frozen meat products, the Department of Agriculture (DA) and the Department of Trade and Industry (DTI) launched the “Presyong Risonable Dapat (PRD): Frozen Meat Edition” Program in Puregold on August 24, 2021.

Under PRD, Puregold frozen pork products range from P199 to 229 per kilo depending on the part, while frozen chicken drumsticks are available at P110 per kilo.

“We are very happy because the program is penetrating every supermarket,” said Agriculture Secretary William Dar.

The agri chief added that the Department will continue to persevere and partner with DTI to talk to other supermarkets to encourage them to follow suit, making affordable meat available for the consuming public.

“Frozen meat is just an augmentation to our scarce meat supply because of the African Swine Fever (ASF), this is just a temporary measure,” he added.

Moreover, he said that DA is continuing its efforts to eradicate ASF and has intensified its repopulation program. An ongoing testing of vaccines against ASF is also being conducted.

Leading the program launch with Secretary Dar were DTI Undersecretary for Consumer Protection Ruth Castelo, and Puregold Vice President for Operations Antonio delos Santos.

Also present during the launch were Assistant Secretary for the DA-Wide Field Inspectorate Federico Laciste, Asst. Sec. for Strategic Communications Noel Reyes, AMAS Director for NCR Operations Dennis Arpia, National Meat Inspection Service Director Jocelyn Salvador, and DTI Director for Consumer Policy and Advocacy Bureau Marcus Valdez. ### (Bethzaida Sarian, DA-AFID)