ANTIQUE – The provincial government of Antique has imposed a temporary farm-gate floor price of P170 per kilogram live weight for live hogs to ensure fair returns for local hog raisers.
Gov. Paolo Javier issued Executive Order No. 83, Series of 2026, prescribing the minimum price and prohibiting unfair and deceptive practices in the livestock trade.
Under the order, traders, dealers, buyers, consolidators, meat processors, commercial handlers and middlemen are prohibited from buying, contracting or offering to buy live hogs from local producers at less than P170 per kilogram.
Prices above the floor will remain subject to market conditions, particularly the grade and quality of the animals.
Javier said hog raisers have long been shouldering rising costs of feeds, medicines, labor and other production inputs but may still be forced to accept buying prices that fail to reflect their investment and hard work.
“Indi naton pagpasugtan nga malugi ang aton mga hog raisers tungod sa indi makatarungan nga buying price. The Provincial Government must stand with our farmers and livestock raisers, especially when their livelihood is at stake,” Javier said.
“With this EO, we are setting a clear minimum price to help ensure that our hog raisers receive a fair and reasonable return for their production,” he added.
The governor also urged buyers, traders and other livestock industry stakeholders to comply with the policy.
“Ang aton mga mangunguma kag hog raisers dapat may patas nga presyo kag patas nga oportunidad. This is not only about the price of a hog. It is about protecting the livelihood of our people, strengthening our local agriculture, and making sure that those who produce food for our communities are not left behind,” Javier said.
The executive order also prohibits deceptive weighing practices, including the use of uncalibrated, altered, tampered, defective or unsealed weighing scales and the imposition of arbitrary weight deductions or kaltas/tara without valid technical justification.
Price manipulation and collusion are likewise prohibited, including agreements among buyers to artificially depress farm-gate prices, impose buying caps or boycott raisers who demand the prescribed floor price.
The order also prohibits coercive contracting, including forcing smallholder raisers through debt leverage, distress or other forms of pressure to sell their livestock below the prescribed value.
Violators may face recommendations for the immediate suspension or revocation of registrations, permits and clearances.
They may also be denied veterinary health certificates and shipping permits and be prohibited or blacklisted from entering, trading or loading livestock at provincial and municipal livestock markets and trading posts.
Javier urged the province’s 18 component municipalities to adopt complementary measures through municipal executive orders or ordinances.
Municipal governments are encouraged to make compliance with the P170-per-kilogram floor price and proper scale calibration a condition for the issuance, maintenance or renewal of business permits, mayor’s permits and market stall contracts for livestock consolidators, meat processors and middlemen.
Municipal treasurers are also urged to conduct unannounced inspections of livestock weighing equipment, while municipal agriculture offices are tasked to assist hog raisers in documenting transaction slips, scale readings and sales receipts.
Hog raisers, associations and concerned citizens may file verified complaints regarding price suppression, non-compliance or scale tampering with the Office of the Provincial Veterinarian or the Office of the Governor.
Under the EO, respondents must be given due process through the issuance of a Notice to Explain or Show Cause Order within three working days from receipt of a complaint.
However, provisional suspension of livestock shipping clearances may be recommended when prima facie evidence of bad faith, collusion or fraudulent weighing is established./PN
