Amid continued price increases of basic commodities, the Department of Agriculture (DA) is proposing a price ceiling on pork and chicken meat for two months in National Capital Region (NCR).

In a press briefing, Agriculture Secretary William Dar said the proposed executive order (EO) seeks to impose price ceiling of P270 per kg. for kasim and pigue; while P300 per kg. for liempo and P160 per kilo of dressed chicken.

Dar said the price ceiling aims to "prevent further price hikes on meat in the country."

"Through an executive order that will be issued by the president there will be a price freeze for the next 60 days," he said.

He said the price ceiling will also "prevent opportunistic businesses especially the traders and wholesalers from illegally manipulating the prices of basic necessities and prime commodities and help the Filipino consumers who are still affected by the COVID-19 pandemic."

Dar said the increase on the price of pork is due to the "tightness" of supply "because of the ASF (African Swine Flu) and the lowering of investments to the commercial (hog) raisers". Robina Asido/DMS