Metro Manila (CNN Philippines, November 22) — About ₱3.4 billion in government revenues were lost as of mid-November with lower tariffs on pork imports taking effect in the second quarter of 2021, latest estimates from the Bureau of Customs revealed.
“To compute for the effect of the two EOs, we multiplied the dutiable value of meat by 25 percent — less 5 percent and 15 percent —which were already paid for EO 128, and multiply the dutiable value by 20 percent and 15 percent for EO 134. The result showed a revenue loss of ₱3.4 billion,” said BOC Commissioner Rey Leonardo Guerrero in a recent Department of Finance executive meeting.
Guerrero was referring to Executive Order 128 — which brought down tariffs to 5% for pork imports within the minimum access volume and 15% to those outside it — and Executive Order 134, which superseded the prior issuance.
Under EO 134, tariffs on imported pork within the MAV stood at 10% for the first three months and 15% in the next nine months. Imports outside MAV, meanwhile, had a 20% tariff for the initial three months and 25% in the succeeding nine months.
President Rodrigo Duterte issued these orders effective Apr. 7 adjusting tariffs on imported pork and raising allowed meat import volumes to help ensure supply and keep prices manageable for the consuming public.
The BOC has collected ₱3 billion from pork imports so far, it said.
National pork imports reached 197 million kilograms (kg) from Apr. 7 to Nov. 12, read the bureau’s report to DOF Secretary Carlos Dominguez III.
Guerrero said the volume of imported pork began spiking in March, “continuously” increasing in April and May and eventually falling beginning June.
