BAGUIO City – The team for the Regional Livestock and Poultry Information and Early Warning System (RLPI‐EWS) Project assembled for a progress meeting at the Cordillera office of the Department of Agriculture (DA – CAR) Conference Hall last March 17, 2017 participated in by representatives of the office of the Philippine Statistic Authority (PSA), central, regional, and provincial; Provincial Veterinary Office (PVO); City Veterinary Office (CVO) of Baguio and Tabuk; National Meat Inspection Service (NMIS); and DA‐CAR Livestock Program.
The RLPI‐EWS is a collaborative project of the DA, PSA, Philippine Statistical Research and Training Institute (PSRTI), NMIS, Bureau of Animal Industry (BAI), and local government units (LGUs). The private agribusiness sector, academe, and research institutions are also part of the said project.
Born in 2006 amidst the fluctuating prices of pork and broilers since the mid-90s, the purpose of the RLPI‐EWS is to foresee the trend in production, volume, and prices of livestock, especially swine and poultry. Data gathered can predict prices under normal conditions, meaning the absence of calamities or diseases. The statistic outputs are used for policy information.
In 2014, CAR commenced the project as part of the 5th and last batch. The initiated work plan comprised of a series of training and workshops in preparation for the creation and analysis of the reports. At present, the project is in the process of institutionalization under the Livestock Program.
Currently, there are two issues of the Regional Situation Report of CAR. The first edition, for CY 2011‐2013, covered poultry and swine. While the second, for CY 2014‐2016, encompassed livestock and poultry due to the inclusion of more commodities.
During the meeting, participants gave their inputs and recommendations for the revision of the second issue. The target release will be in June, this year.
Updates on the Administrative Order (AO) No. 05 Series of 2016, an amendment of AO No. 27 which is the ‘Guidelines on the Collection of Data on Animal Slaughter’, and Memorandum Order No. 17 series of 2016 regarding the incentives of meat inspectors were also discussed.
Aldrin Bahit, Jr., Statistical Operations and Coordination Division Chief of PSA‐CAR, stated the importance of statistics. “Our role is to help every Filipinos make evidence‐based decision making,” he said.
The project aims to help livestock producers and protect consumers.
By Ayra Galanza
