The Central Visayas Pork Producers Association, Department of Agriculture-Central Visayas, Carcar City Government, and hog raisers' groups signed a memorandum of agreement on September 3, 2026, to distribute 400 premium-bred gilts to farmers.
Cebu's livestock industry value dropped to P23.39 billion in 2025, decreasing by 4.8 percent from P24.56 billion in 2024 and 12.3 percent from P26.68 billion in 2023.
Rolando Tambago, chairman of Cevippco, stated that the initiative aims to help small-scale raisers rebuild herds while facing African Swine Fever threats, low market prices, and reduced production.
CEBU’S hog industry is looking for ways to regain lost production as farmers continue to grapple with low hog prices, the threat of African Swine Fever (ASF) and rising challenges in keeping their operations viable.
One effort is the distribution of 400 gilts to hog farmers in Carcar City, Barili, Bantayan Island and Camotes Island, with the breeders expected to help small-scale raisers rebuild their herds.
The initiative was formalized through a memorandum of agreement signed Thursday, September 3, 2026, between the Central Visayas Pork Producers Association (Cevippco), the Department of Agriculture-Central Visayas (DA 7), the Carcar City Government, and hog raisers’ groups representing the beneficiary communities.
Central Visayas hog growers group helps Cebuano hog farmers get access to premium genetic line breeders in partnership with the DA 7 and the Pork Producers Federation of the Phils (ProPork).
The breeders will be distributed to 100 farmers in Carcar City, while other beneficiaries are from the Sitio Lomboy Farmers Multipurpose Association, Bantayan Island Layer and Hog Raisers Association, and Camotes Integrated Swine Producers Association.
The intervention comes as Cebu’s livestock industry continues to lose value.
Data cited during the activity showed that Cebu’s livestock industry was valued at P23.39 billion in 2025, down 4.8 percent from P24.56 billion in 2024, and 12.3 percent from P26.68 billion in 2023.
Rolando Tambago, chairman of Cevippco and vice chairman of ProPork, said the decline reflects the difficulties currently faced by both large and small hog producers.
Some commercial farms, he said, have reduced their production capacity, while some backyard farmers have stopped raising hogs amid weak market prices.
“Threat of ASF continues, and the market prices of hogs remains low. The industry needs to recover and we think we have a role to play there,” Tambago said.
Tambago, who is also president of Virginia Farms, said major industry players have a responsibility to help smaller farmers by connecting them with government assistance programs such as the Integrated National Swine Production Initiatives for Recovery and Expansion (Inspire) Program.
He described their role as that of a “Big Brother” to backyard farmers, helping them gain access to programs that could support their return to hog production.
“We hope we will have more grants like this so that we can really help our fellow hog farmers and eventually help in achieving sustainable livelihood for the farmers and food security for the Filipinos,” he said.
The breeders are being distributed through the Inspire, with Cevippco and ProPork helping connect the government assistance with smaller farmers.
For Carcar Mayor Patricio Barcenas, the challenge now is for beneficiaries to keep the breeders productive and turn the assistance into a sustainable source of income.
He urged the farmers under the 35 cooperatives who are the beneficiaries of the program in Carcar City, to take real good care of the breeders and maximize its potential to help them create a sustainable livelihood in hog farming.
“Panagsa ra ta hatagan ani ug swerte kaayu ta nga naapil ta ani,” Barcenas said.
The hog industry may also get additional support beginning next year following the enactment of Republic Act 12308, or the Animal Industry Development and Competitiveness Act (AIDCA).
Tambago said the law provides for P200 billion in annual investments for 10 years to modernize the country’s livestock, poultry and dairy sectors.
He said funding under the law is expected to become available in 2027 through programs of the DA.
The private sector, he said, plans to continue working with the DA to make sure the funding reaches farmers and supports the recovery of the livestock sector.
DA 7 Regional Technical Director for Operations Cirilo Namoc said improving production is necessary to strengthen food security and food sufficiency.
“Our goal is food security, food sufficiency and we would like thank our very active private sectors in helping us with this goal. They helped encourage farmers to go back to farming. The Inspire Program is just one of our programs the help achieve this goal. Through the distribution of breeders with the best genetics, we hope help the industry recover,” said Namoc.
He said the distribution of breeders with improved genetics is among the interventions that could help farmers return to hog production.
The 400 gilts, however, are only one part of the sector’s recovery effort, as farmers continue to contend with disease risks and market conditions that have already forced some producers to scale back or stop operations. (CAV)