By Robina Asido

Amid the start of the implementation of Executive Order No. 124 setting price caps on pork and chicken Monday, pork vendors in a wet market in Tondo, Manila are not following the price ceiling set by the government.

As of Monday afternoon, the vendors are selling pigue for P300 per kilo, 350 per kilo for liempo and P300 per kilo for pata.

Executive Order No. 124, which President Rodrigo Duterte signed on Feb. 1 set the pork prices for kasim/pigue at P270 per kilo while for liempo, P300 per kilo, and for dressed chicken P160 per kilo. This is valid for 60 days.

Unlike the previous days, it was noticeable that the volume of pork meat within the market begun to decrease on Monday while some vendors did not open their stalls.

In an interview with Daily Manila Shimbun, a pork vendor complained that because of the price ceiling it become difficult for them to acquire pork meat.

"We can't get any because these were not slaughtered. We spend so much to buy them then we have to sell them at P270. It is better not to sell," a vendor said.

The vendor said they are selling pork that wasn't bought by consumers yesterday. DMS