The Negros Oriental Provincial Price Coordinating Council has adopted temporary suggested price ranges for pork, piglets, and live hogs to stabilize the local swine market amid the ongoing African swine fever (ASF) outbreak in the province.
Under Resolution No. 1, Series of 2026, signed on August 6, 2026 at the Provincial Capitol in Dumaguete City by Governor Manuel L. Sagarbarria, the council set a retail range of ₱240 to ₱290 per kilogram for pork (local and imported), ₱2,500 to ₱5,000 per head for piglets, and a buying price of ₱150 to ₱180 per kilogram liveweight for live hogs.
ASF Disruption Drives Pricing Intervention
According to the Provincial Price Coordinating Council, the ASF outbreak has disrupted the supply chain for swine, pork, and related products, contributing to instability in market prices across the province.
The council said the recommended ranges are intended as temporary market guidance to promote fair trade, discourage profiteering and price manipulation, and help maintain orderly commerce while the province responds to the effects of ASF.
The pricing policy also seeks to balance the interests of consumers with those of hog raisers, livestock traders, meat vendors, and lechon operators who need to recover legitimate production, transportation, and operating costs.
Council Convened July 25 Before Resolution Took Effect
According to the resolution, the Provincial Price Coordinating Council convened at the Provincial Capitol on July 25 to discuss the prevailing market situation involving pork, lechon, piglets, and live hogs.
Following consultations, monitoring, and price assessments by concerned provincial offices and member-agencies, the council adopted the suggested price ranges that took effect immediately upon approval of the resolution on August 6.
The province had earlier restricted the entry of hogs and pork products from ASF-affected areas as part of its containment effort.
Guihulngan City Acted Ahead of Province-Wide Guidance
The province-wide guidance follows local action already taken by individual towns and cities. Guihulngan City Mayor Filomeno Reyes signed Executive Order No. 17, Series of 2026, setting a minimum buying price of ₱160 per kilogram for live hogs and ₱200 per kilogram for pork carcasses, along with a minimum retail price of ₱240 per kilogram for pork — even though the city has recorded no ASF cases.
The Department of Agriculture's Provincial Agriculture and Fisheries Technical Coordination Office in Negros Oriental had earlier said it was awaiting a province-wide issuance from the governor to establish a uniform pricing scheme for live hogs and pork, according to the resolution.
Component LGUs May Set Localized Prices Within Provincial Ranges
The resolution allows component cities and municipalities, through their respective Local Price Coordinating Councils or other proper local authorities, to set localized suggested prices within their jurisdictions, provided those prices remain within the ranges established by the provincial council.
Cities and municipalities without operational Local Price Coordinating Councils were encouraged to organize or reactivate their councils for price monitoring, coordination, and enforcement. Local price councils chaired by their respective mayors may issue advisories, letters of inquiry, and other lawful directives against non-compliant traders or retailers.
Multi-Agency Monitoring Framework Activated
Public markets will be monitored by municipal or city agriculture offices, administrators' offices, and veterinary offices. Trading centers, bagsakan centers, and auction markets may be monitored by the Department of Agriculture and its local counterparts, while supermarkets will fall under the Department of Trade and Industry.
The Provincial Veterinary Office, Provincial Agriculture Office, DTI, and other member-agencies were directed to continue monitoring market conditions, supply movements, and prevailing prices, and to recommend adjustments when necessary.
Anti-Profiteering Measures Remain in Force
The resolution clarified that the suggested price ranges do not prevent the provincial government and other authorities from pursuing additional regulatory or enforcement measures permitted by law, including actions against hoarding, profiteering, cartelization, and other illegal price manipulation practices.
The suggested prices remain in force until amended, revised, or lifted by the Provincial Price Coordinating Council.
ASF Cases Confirmed in Negros Oriental Since Late June
The Visayas has seen renewed ASF activity since late June 2026, with cases confirmed in Bacolod and La Libertad in Negros Oriental on July 1, and movement bans imposed by neighboring provinces.
Nationally, the Philippine Statistics Authority reported that fresh pork kasim averaged ₱339.43 per kilogram during the first phase of July 2026, though retail prices vary considerably by location and market conditions — significantly above the ceiling set by Negros Oriental's new guidance.
By the Numbers
- ₱240–₱290 per kilogram — suggested retail price range for pork (local and imported)
- ₱2,500–₱5,000 per head — suggested price range for piglets
- ₱150–₱180 per kilogram — suggested buying price for live hogs (liveweight)
- ₱160 per kilogram — minimum buying price for live hogs set by Guihulngan City (EO No. 17, Series of 2026)
- ₱240 per kilogram — minimum retail price for pork set by Guihulngan City
- ₱339.43 per kilogram — national average retail price for fresh pork kasim, first phase of July 2026, per the Philippine Statistics Authority
- July 25, 2026 — date the Provincial Price Coordinating Council convened to deliberate on the resolution
- August 6, 2026 — date Governor Sagarbarria signed Resolution No. 1, Series of 2026
Why This Matters
The adoption of province-wide suggested price ranges gives consumers, hog raisers, and traders a formal reference point during a period of ASF-driven market disruption, reducing the risk of profiteering and price manipulation. The resolution also fills a gap identified by the Department of Agriculture's provincial office, which had been awaiting uniform provincial guidance before local pricing schemes could be effectively coordinated. With ASF cases confirmed in Negros Oriental and neighboring provinces imposing movement bans, the pricing framework provides a structured response to a supply chain crisis that directly affects food security and livelihoods across the province.
Photo credit: Photo courtesy of Negros Oriental Provincial Government