Filipinos love pork. In fact, the average Filipino consumes 14.2kg of pork a year. Who doesn’t know about crispy pata, sisig, or lechon in the Philippines? Pork is definitely popular locally, which makes Pinoy pork safety important too.
With the outbreak of ASF in the Philippines for the past couple of years, pork meat safety has been a critical topic for farmers and consumers alike. Is Pinoy pork safe? Should we still buy local pork? Is hog raising in the Philippines still viable? We give you 4 reasons why.
Buying local meat can help the environment
For the more obvious reason, buying local meat can help cut back on carbon emissions. Since farmers don’t have to travel far to get that pork on your table, the food miles are fewer when you buy locally available meat.
Aside from that, did you know that raising native pigs is environmentally friendly? Yep, native pigs are cheaper and easier to raise because they have already adapted to local conditions, compared to imported pig breeds. Organic materials like food wastes, vegetable scraps, and plant leaves are enough food for this kind of meat. This also ensures its pork meat safety as food for swine, like the ones mentioned above, can be a source of infection of pigs with a range of bacterial foodborne pathogens.
As there is a growing demand for native pigs in Metro Manila and other big local cities for lechon or roasted pig, the native pig serves as a more natural and earth-friendly option.
Generally, local meat is healthier
Local food is generally healthier because you have a better idea on how it is raised or produced.
You can even go the extra mile and ask your local farmers about their practices yourself. Since backyard hog raising is a very popular enterprise in the Philippines, you’ll find that local farmers have a deep respect for animals. Free range and cruelty free? With pigs having natural diets, local farmers generally raise animals to live a happy life.
Local farm to table security
In the Philippines, we have a dedicated unit that regulates meat safety–the National Meat Inspection Service. And since the 2019 occurrence of ASF in the Philippines, officials from this unit and from the local and national government alike, have constantly reminded us that local pork is safe to eat.
DILG secretary Año assures us that, “There are conditions and requirements that should be complied with before transporting and selling of processed meat products are allowed.” This means stricter measures, like intensified check points and quarantine measures, are imposed on processed meat, especially those contaminated with the virus.
You support the Filipino farmer
When you buy local meat, you reward the dedication and hardwork of our local farmers. Plus, locally purchased meat also supports your community and your local economy–no Peso has to fly abroad.
Since this business requires very little space and a small capital, backyard hog raising is popular in the Philippines. Because of this, backyard swine producers dominate the Philippine pork industry. The total number of hogs they make available in the market will surprise you.
As putting meals on the Filipino table is part of their job, you know that these farmers value Pinoy pork safety and pork meat safety in general.
Sources:
https://smile.cebupacificair.com/pork-love-story/
https://efsa.onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/pdf/10.2903/j.efsa.2008.613
https://springpowerandgas.us/5-benefits-of-buying-your-meat-locally/
