QUEZON CITY -- Metro Manila consumers can now buy frozen meat at lower prices through the “Presyong Risonable Dapat (PRD) Program: Frozen Meat Edition” of the Department of Trade and Industry (DTI), Department of Agriculture (DA), and the Robinsons Supermarket.

Agriculture Secretary William Dar, Trade Secretary Ramon Lopez, Robinsons Retail Holdings, Inc. President and CEO Robina Gokongwei Pe, and Robinsons Supermarket Jody Gadia launched the PRD Program on July 29, 2021 at the Robinsons Supermarket Galleria.

“This is your government working as one para sa ganun yung mga food and food products na para sa madla ay mabili ng affordable at ito yung minimithi at gustong mangyari ng ating mahal na Pangulong Rodrigo Roa Duterte,” Secretary Dar said.

Through the PRD Program, which will be implemented in all Robinsons Supermarkets within the National Capital Region, frozen pork and chicken products will be made available at lower prices compared to those in public markets and other establishments.

“This is assistance for our consumers to have other options for more affordable pork products. We will make this high-quality and low-priced pork available for them,” Secretary Lopez said.

He added that the plan is to make available directly to the retailers the imported pork, limiting the traders in between so that consumers will enjoy the products at the lowest price possible.

“Of course, the DA will always give priority to our local hog industry. May problema lang tayo ngayon ng African Swine Fever (ASF),” Secretary Dar said before announcing that the initial report on the ASF vaccine trials will be released in August.

He added that the DA’s local hog repopulation program is ongoing and will continue until the country’s hog industry recovers from ASF.

“We want to produce as much as we can dito sa ating bansa. We have to be competitive para sa ganun ay kaunti lang yung imports natin,” Secretary Dar said.

Under the PRD Program, consumers can now buy the following discounted frozen meat and chicken products:

·         Pork belly/liempo – P250/kg

·         Porkchop – P220/kg

·         Kasim/Pigue – P220/kg

·         Ground pork – P200/kg

·         Chicken leg quarters – P110/kg

“We believe that it is important for us as a retailer to support programs like PRD. At the end of the day, these initiatives are about our end customers. Rest assured that Robinsons Retail will always support the programs of the DTI and the DA and we will continue to do our best to serve our customers,” Gokongwei Pe said. (GCBejarin/DA-AFID)