WHEREAS, Executive Order (EO) No. 128 (s.2011) temporarily reduced the Most Favoured Nation (MFN) tariff rates on fresh, chilled, or frozen meat of swine under AHTN 2017 Heading No. 02.03 from 30% (in-quota) and 40% (out-quota), to 5% (in-quota) and 15% (out-quota) for the first three (3) months of effectivity, and 10% (in-quota) and 20% (out-quota) from the 4th until the 12th month, to address the existing pork supply shortage, stabilize prices of pork meat, and minimize inflation;

WHEREAS, while it remains imperative to reduce the tariff rates for pork products to achieve the objectives of EO No. 128, the government recognizes the plight of all concerned sectors and stakeholders, including the local hog industry, who will be affected by the tariff reduction;

WHEREAS, Section 1608 of Republic Act (RA) No. 10863 empowers the President, in the interest of general welfare and national security, and upon recommendation of the National Economic and Development Authority (NEDA), to increase, reduce or remove existing rates of import duty; and

WHEREAS, on 06 May 2021, the NEDA Board endorsed ad referendum the further adjustment of the reduced tariff rates on pork meat under EO No. 128;

NOW, THEREFORE, I, RODRIGO ROA DUTERTE, President of the Republic of the Philippines, by virtue of the powers vested in me by the Constitution and existing laws, do hereby order:

SECTION 1. Rates of Import Duty. The articles specifically listed in Annex A hereof, as classified in compliance with Section 1611 of RA No. 10863, shall be subject to the temporary MFN rates of duty, in accordance with the schedule indicated opposite the article.

Upon the effectivity of this Order, all articles specifically listed in Annex A hereof, which are entered into or withdrawn from warehouses in the Philippines for consumption, shall be levied the temporary MFN rates of duty as prescribed therein.

SECTION 2. Repeal. EO No. 128 is hereby repealed. All other issuances, administrative rules and regulations, or parts thereof, which are inconsistent with this Order are likewise repealed or modified accordingly.

SECTION 3. Separability. If any provision of this Order is declared invalid or unconstitutional, the other provisions not affected thereby shall remain valid and subsisting.

SECTION 4. Effectivity. This Order shall take effect immediately upon its complete publication in the Official Gazettte or in a newspaper of general circulation, and shall be effective for a period of one (1) year from such date.

DONE, in the City of Manila, this 15th day of May, in the year of Our Lord, Two Thoysand and Twenty One.

(SGD.) RODRIGO ROA DUTERTE

By the President:

(SGD.) SALVADOR C. MEDIALDEA
Executive Secretary