September 1, 2025 | 12:00am
MANILA, Philippines — A gaggle of poultry raisers final week known as for a overview of the Native Authorities Code, saying gaps within the legislation have left farmers susceptible to inconsistent guidelines and sluggish responses throughout illness outbreaks.
United Broiler Raisers Affiliation (UBRA) president Elias Jose Inciong advised The STAR that whereas native governments have a job in agricultural growth, regulatory powers ought to stay with the Division of Agriculture (DA) to make sure uniformity throughout provinces.
“And actually, the whole scenario now actually justifies a overview of the native authorities. What must be dealt with by the native authorities must be the developmental facet of agriculture, not the regulatory facet,” Inciong stated on the sidelines of the primary day of the Philippine Poultry Present 2025 and the Worldwide Livestock, Dairy, Meat Processing and Aquaculture Exposition on the SMX Conference Heart in Pasay Metropolis.
He famous that even in international locations with federal programs, such because the US, the nationwide agriculture division takes the lead throughout emergencies to stop disruption throughout areas.
“Even in a federal system like america, if the Division of Agriculture (DA) says this can be a system of motion in case of a flood or no matter sort of outbreak, the DA will prevail, the (United States Division of Agriculture) will prevail,” he stated.
The decision comes amid recurring points within the livestock and poultry sectors the place responses to illness outbreaks have been hampered by conflicting choices between the nationwide authorities and native authorities models (LGUs).
Throughout previous episodes of African swine fever and avian influenza, farmers and merchants complained of inconsistent quarantine and transport guidelines throughout provinces, usually resulting in delays and pointless losses.
Critics of the present system argue that whereas the Native Authorities Code was meant to empower communities, it has additionally fragmented agricultural regulation, leaving important illness monitoring and motion protocols on the mercy of particular person LGUs.
For UBRA, the newest disruptions have solely underscored the necessity to revisit the legislation.
“If the DA says that is the usual for motion, then it ought to apply in all places,” Inciong stated.
