The Philippines tightens checks on meat handling and labeling

Agriculture Secretary Francisco P. Tiu Laurel Jr. has ordered tighter monitoring of supermarkets and wet markets to ensure proper handling and labeling of frozen meat, as the Department of Agriculture (DA) moves to safeguard both consumers and local producers.

Tiu Laurel directed the Agribusiness and Marketing Assistance Service, Bureau of Animal Industry, and National Meat Inspection Service to conduct inspections nationwide to check compliance with food safety and fair trade regulations.

The DA said some sellers continue to market frozen pork as fresh, misleading consumers and undercutting legitimate retailers and local producers.

The intensified monitoring aims to bring transparency to the meat market, protect consumers, and help restore profitability to local hog raisers amid persistent price volatility.

The order coincides with efforts by the DA and local hog producers to stabilize pork prices and support raisers reeling from declining farmgate rates.