QUEZON CITY -- The Department of Agriculture (DA) and the Department of Trade and Industry (DTI) brought the “Presyong Risonable Dapat (PRD): Frozen Meat Edition” Program to the residents of Marikina City on July 31, 2021.

In partnership with the Atkins Import and Export Resources Inc. and the MyOwn Group of Companies, Agriculture Secretary William Dar and DTI Undersecretary Ruth Castelo launched the PRD Program at the Marikina Riverbanks Center Pop-Up Store to provide consumers access to low-cost frozen meat products.

“Kahit iba’t ibang departamento, we are one in working with our partners para sa gano’n ang ating mga mamamayan ay mayroong mapagpipilian na mas mababang presyo mas lalo ngayon sa pork meat dahil sa problema natin sa African swine fever,” Secretary Dar said.

Through the PRD Program, the following frozen meat products will be available at the Marikina Riverbanks every Saturday from 10:00 a.m. to 4:00 p.m.:

·         Pork belly/liempo – P250/kg

·         Porkchop – P225/kg

·         Kasim/Pigue – P220/kg

·         Ground pork – P200/kg

·         Chicken leg quarters – P110/kg

·         Drumsticks – P110/kg

·         Chicken breast – P110/kg

“Makakaasa po kayo na basta business, agribusiness, and industry, magkasangga lagi ang DA at DTI. Gusto kong ipaalam sa madla na sa lahat po ng tiempo ay nandyan ang gobyerno na tinitignan palagi na mayroong sapat na pagkain ang bansa,” the agri chief said.

He added that the importation of frozen pork meat is only a temporary measure to augment the country’s supply and lower the prices for consumers, especially in Metro Manila.

“Ang unang pakay natin sa gobyerno ay ang repopulation program ng hog industry kasi badly affected sila. Tinutulungan din namin ang hog industry para makabangon muli,” Secretary Dar said.

Also present during the event were Assistant Secretary for the DA-Wide Field Inspectorate Federico Laciste, DA NCR Operations Director Dennis Arpia, National Meat Inspection Service OIC Executive Director Jocelyn Salvador, Atkins EVP-Chief Operating Officer Medardo Deacosta, Jr., and Meat Importers and Traders Association President and MyOwn Managing Director Jesus Cham.

Affordable frozen pork and chicken products under the PRD Program are also available in all Robinsons Supermarket branches in Metro Manila after the program was launched at Robinsons Supermarket Galleria on July 29, 2021.

The PRD Program of DTI started in 2018 as “PRD on Rice” in partnership with DA and the National Food Authority to provide consumers access to cheaper rice and sugar in supermarkets. GCBejarin, DA-AFID)