ILOILO – A seasonal upswing in pork prices is looming across Iloilo Province as holiday demand is expected to spike sharply, the Provincial Veterinary Office (PVO) warned, saying historical data consistently show price increases during Christmas and New Year despite an overall stable supply.
PVO chief Dr. Darel Tabuada said current pork prices remain steady at P180 to P350 per kilo, supported by a strengthened local supply. But that stability, he cautioned, is unlikely to hold in the coming weeks once the holiday rush begins.
“Yes, based on history kon tan-awon naton ang trend sa pricing sang aton mga meat products, naga-increase na sia because it’s driven by law of supply and demand. So, kon magtaas ang demand, nagataas man ang price sang aton produkto,” Tabuada said.
Holiday buying pressure expected to push prices higher
Price monitoring by the PVO already shows select municipalities, including Calinog and Lambunao, selling pork at P270 per kilo as of November 3 — an indication of tightening movements as early purchases start.
Tabuada, however, assured that supply will remain sufficient through the holidays due to continuous inflow of hogs from Antique, Negros Occidental, and several major producing provinces, along with frozen imported products.
“For this month of October 2025 alone,” PVO recorded 393,328.50 kilos of pork entering Iloilo from Cebu, Negros Occidental, South Cotabato, Manila, Davao del Sur, and Bacolod City. Another 284,631 kilos of frozen pork came from Brazil, Spain, and the United Kingdom.
“In terms of sufficiency, kon i-dugang naton ang nagasulod sa aton, bastante ang supply naton,” he added.
The province’s swine inventory also rebounded to 90,907 heads as of November 3 — up from 72,000 in January — reflecting the recovery of commercial farms previously hit by African Swine Fever (ASF).
Consumers urged: Check meat certificates to ensure safety
With more households expected to buy pork for noche buena and Christmas parties, Tabuada reminded consumers to be vigilant and ensure they purchase only inspected and certified meat.
He emphasized the importance of the Meat Inspection Certificate (MIC) issued by local governments for locally sourced pork, and the Certificate of Meat Inspection (COMI) issued by the Bureau of Animal Industry (BAI) for imported and frozen products.
“For the consumers, naga-advocate gid kita nga i-check nila dapat ang meat inspection certificate or MIC… Ang MIC naga-approve nga ang karne nag-undergo sa thorough inspection kag fit for human consumption,” he explained.
Imported frozen meats, he added, also pass through the National Meat Inspection Service and undergo document verification by the BAI before entering Iloilo.
Current pork prices per municipality
* Guimbal – P390
* Oton – P350
* San Joaquin – P350
* Tigbauan – P320
* Leganes – P290
* Pavia – P360
* Santa Barbara – P360
* Anilao – P380
* Estancia – P350
* Barotac Viejo – P360
* Carles – P320
* San Rafael – P350
* Igbaras – P300
* Miag-ao – P280)
* Tubungan – P340)
* Alimodian – P280
* Leon – P300
* New Lucena – P360
* San Miguel – P300
* Zarraga – P280
* Badiangan – P280
* Bingawan – P300
* Cabatuan – P330
* Calinog – P270
* Janiuay – P320
* Lambunao – P270
* Maasin – P350
* Mina – P340
* Pototan – P280
* Banate – P330
* Barotac Nuevo – P350
* Dingle – P340
* Dueñas – P300
* Dumangas – P280
* Passi City – P300
* San Enrique – P280
* Ajuy – P300
* Balasan – P350
* Batad – P300
* Concepcion – P330
* Lemery – P300
* San Dionisio – P300
* Sara – P300/PN
