Go lauds DU30 for signing EO 123

This is most welcome and I support it. This will have a huge impact on keeping prices low by keeping the tariffs low and preventing any inflationary effect

Senator Christopher “Bong” Go lauded President Rodrigo Duterte for signing Executive Order (EO) 123 modifying the rates of import duty on certain agricultural products under section 1611 of the Republic Act (RA) 10863, otherwise known as the Customs Modernization and Tariff Act.

The EO will further maintain the reduced tariff rates on mechanically deboned meat (MDM) of chicken and turkey until next year as a way to help curb hunger and prevent prices of said products from going up amid the ongoing Covid-19 pandemic.

“This is most welcome and I support it. This will have a huge impact on keeping prices low by keeping the tariffs low and preventing any inflationary effect,” Go said.

Duterte, in 2017, temporarily reduced the tariff rates on said products from 30-40 percent to 5 percent via EO 23 (s. 2017) as a concession to trading partners for letting the country extend the quota on rice imports to protect Filipino farmers.

Under the earlier EO 23, the tariff rates will revert to their original Most Favored Nation (MFN) rates on 1 July 2020, or until such time that a law amending provisions on rice tariffication in RA 8178 takes effect, whichever comes first.

Due to the signing of RA 1203 in February 2020 which lifts rice import quotas and imposing tariffs, the reduced tariff rates reverted to their original MFN rates.

This is most welcome and I support it. This will have a huge impact on keeping prices low by keeping the tariffs low and preventing any inflationary effect.

Duterte, based on the recommendation of the National Economic and Development Authority, once again maintained the reduced tariff rates through EO 82 until 31 December 2020, to keep the inflation rate within target.

The recently signed EO 123 will, once more, retain the reduced tariff rate at 5 percent on MDM of chicken and turkey until 31 December 2022.

Meanwhile, Go said that government must prioritize three important aspects towards recovery: (1) address hunger; (2) acquire sufficient, safe and effective vaccines for all Filipinos with utmost priority to poor and vulnerable sectors as well as frontliners; (3) and provide more economic opportunities through jobs and other forms of livelihood.

Go emphasized that MDM is a major component of low-priced meat products commonly purchased by ordinary Filipinos. Keeping these affordable, he said, will help address hunger and mitigate poverty.

In a November 2020 survey conducted by the Social Weather Stations, it was revealed that an estimated four million families reported involuntary hunger at least once in the past three months prior to the study. The number, though, is lower than the previous data gathered by SWS in September where some 7.6 million reported involuntary hunger due to the pandemic.