MAASIN CITY (PIA) -- Citing oversupply and in the absence of African Swine Fever (ASF), Maasin City Mayor Nacional Mercado issued on August 24 an executive order that lowered the selling price ceiling of pork and other meat products.

Executive Order No. 34, series of 2022, likewise ordered that the buying price ceiling for live hogs must also go down a notch lower, and it is effective for implementation starting on September 1.

The move was carried out “for such reason that there is now an improvement in the supply of hogs compared to past months, due to the entry of other traders or hog raiser from Hinunangan, Tacloban, and Cebu City, resulting to the reduction in the buying price of live hogs,” Mercado said in a facebook post.

The latest EO amended Section 3 of City Ordinance 2021-116 that allowed a higher price due to low supply and the spread of ASF which hit piggery owners in the city last year.

“Thereby, with the recommendation from the City Price Coordinating Council and the concurrence of the Sangguniang Panlungsod, we find it fitting to reduce the selling price of pork and other meat products as well as the buying price for live hogs,” Mercado further said.

Regular meat products have an average reduction of P20 per kilo, from P350 to P330, while boneless meat, from P360 to P340, among other choice cuts, details of which are specified in EO 34.

Live hogs are to be sold at a price range of P200 to P215 per kilo, instead of the starting price of P215 and higher.

The order tasked the village chiefs of the 70 barangays in the city to help monitor compliance in their respective territories, and to promptly report violators. (LDL/MMP/PIA Southern Leyte/With report from Dahlia Abiera Orit, Radio Pilipinas)