10/09/2026
๐๐๐ ๐ข๐จ๐ง'๐ฌ ๐ฅ๐จ๐ง๐ ๐๐๐
-๐๐ซ๐๐ ๐ฉ๐ซ๐จ๐ฏ๐ข๐ง๐๐, ๐๐ง๐ญ๐ข๐ช๐ฎ๐, ๐ฌ๐๐ญ๐ฌ ๐๐๐๐/๐ค๐ ๐ก๐จ๐ ๐ฉ๐ซ๐ข๐๐ ๐๐ฅ๐จ๐จ๐ซ ๐ญ๐จ ๐๐ข๐ ๐ก๐ญ ๐ฉ๐ซ๐๐๐๐ญ๐จ๐ซ๐ฒ ๐ญ๐ซ๐๐๐๐ซ๐ฌ
Published September 10, 2026
Post credit to the owner Province of Antique
๐๐๐ ๐๐๐๐๐๐๐ - Despite being the only province in the region that remains free from African Swine Fever (ASF)โmaking it the undisputed primary supplier of live hogs across Panay IslandโAntiqueโs backyard raisers are bleeding money.
To stop opportunistic buyers from exploiting local farmers, the Provincial Government of Antique has officially set a temporary minimum farm-gate floor price of P170.00 per kilogram liveweight for live hogs.
Governor Paolo Everardo S. Javier signed Executive Order (EO) No. 83, Series of 2026, on Tuesday, September 8. The directive serves as an emergency economic stabilization measure to protect the province's highly valuable swine industry from predatory pricing, deceptive weighing, and cartel-like behavior by traders and middlemen.
Because Antique has successfully maintained its ASF "Green Zone" status through strict biosecurity and the sacrifices of local raisers, it is currently the only province in the region capable of freely supplying and shipping out healthy live hogs. However, instead of raisers reaping the economic benefits of this high regional demand, traders have been monopolizing the profits by dictating severely depressed buying prices at the farm gate.
The executive order was prompted by a stakeholder dialogue held late last month, where over 400 members of the Antique Livestock and Poultry Raisers' Association (ALPRA) voiced critical distress over these exploitative valuations.
According to data submitted by ALPRA, the actual cost to raise a single fattener to a standard marketable weight of 85 kilograms has surged to approximately P14,480โfactoring in the piglet, feeds, vitamins, electricity, and transport. Even at the newly prescribed P170.00 per kilogram floor price, an 85-kilogram hog yields P14,450, resulting in a baseline operating loss. The EO noted that any buying price below the P170 mark inflicts "catastrophic financial insolvency" upon raisers and threatens the very survival of Antique's swine industry.
๐๐ญ๐ซ๐ข๐๐ญ ๐๐ซ๐จ๐ก๐ข๐๐ข๐ญ๐ข๐จ๐ง๐ฌ ๐๐ง๐ ๐๐๐ง๐๐ฅ๐ญ๐ข๐๐ฌ
Under EO No. 83, S. of 2026, the "Antique Provincial Temporary Live Hog Floor Price and Fair Trade Order of 2026," transactions above P170.00/kg remain governed by open-market dynamics based on premium grade and animal quality. However, any purchase below the floor price is strictly illegal.
The EO explicitly outlaws several unfair trade practices:
Price Manipulation: Horizontal agreements, buyer syndicates, or informal price cartels that artificially depress farm-gate prices, dictate regional buying caps, or boycott raisers who demand the floor price.
Deceptive Weighing: The use of uncalibrated or tampered scales and the application of arbitrary weight deductions (kaltas or tara).
Coercive Contracting: Forcing smallholder raisers under duress or debt leverage to surrender livestock at sub-floor valuations.
To enforce the measure, the provincial government is weaponizing its livestock transport permitting system. Since traders rely heavily on shipping Antique's hogs to other provinces, the Office of the Provincial Veterinarian (OPV) has been directed to strictly withhold Veterinary Health Certificates (VHC) and shipping clearances from non-compliant buyersโeffectively paralyzing their ability to move and sell hogs.
Violators also face the immediate revocation of their Provincial Livestock Trader Accreditations, blacklisting from all provincial trading posts, confiscation of defective scales, and legal action under the Consumer Act of the Philippines, the Price Act, and the Philippine Competition Act.
๐๐๐ฅ๐ฅ ๐๐จ๐ซ ๐๐ฎ๐ง๐ข๐๐ข๐ฉ๐๐ฅ ๐๐๐ญ๐ข๐จ๐ง
Governor Javier has also called on the mayors and local councils of Antique's 18 component municipalities to adopt complementary ordinances.
The provincial government strongly urged local chief executives to make compliance with the P170/kg floor price and proper scale calibration a strict prerequisite for issuing, maintaining, or renewing Mayor's Business Permits and Market Stall Concession Contracts. Municipal treasurers were also tasked with conducting rigorous, unannounced inspections of livestock weighing instruments.
The temporary floor price takes effect immediately and will remain in force until market conditions normalize and feed-to-fattener production costs reach a sustainable economic equilibrium. Aggrieved hog raisers, associations, or concerned citizens are encouraged to file verified complaints directly with OPV or the Office of the Governor.
Duro duro gid nga Salamat kay governor Paolo Javier, provet, kag sp corvera kag sa tanan nga ALPRA officer sa Alpra President kay taanag guide kanatun sa dialogue
For additional information and content, you may visit the following:
Website: www.antique.gov.ph
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/Paolo.atyourservice
