DTI, Robinsons group to provide affordable frozen meat

MANILA, Philippines — The Department of Trade and Industry (DTI), in partnership with the Department of Agriculture and Robinsons Supermarkets, relaunched the Presyong Risonable Dapat (PRD) program to provide consumers access to low-cost frozen meat options amid the pandemic.

This year’s “frozen meat edition” aims to bring pork and chicken products to the consuming public at their lowest prices.

In his remarks, Trade Secretary Ramon Lopez emphasized the government’s ongoing effort to widen the general public’s access to affordable commodities. He said that what is important is giving consumers the option where to access low-priced products.

“This will bring back consumer confidence, create demand, and provide employment to Filipinos as the country’s economy recovers,” he said. “We shall be doing the PRD with other supermarket chains to widen the reach of these products.”

The trade chief was joined by Agriculture Secretary William Dar, Robinsons Retail Holdings Inc. (RRHI) president and CEO Robina Gokongwei Pe, and DTI Consumer Protection Group Undersecretary Ruth Castelo.

Dar said their key programs still center on giving several support to improving farmers output and productivity.

“The current need to import is only a temporary measure to address the supply shortage brought about by the ASF issue,” he said. “We need to ensure that the benefit of lower tariff rates on pork will be enjoyed by the consumers through lower retail prices. He also credited the whole of nation public-private sectors collaboration in addressing industry problems.”

Back in 2018, DTI conceptualized the PRD program and teamed up with DA and the National Food Authority to provide consumers access to cheaper rice and sugar available in supermarkets.

This was in compliance with the directive of President Duterte to address the urgent need to control and mitigate the rising prices of basic agricultural commodities, particularly rice, and adopt measures to streamline administrative procedures to allow importation that will ensure price stability and supply availability of agricultural products in the market.

For this year’s PRD, starting July 29, 2021, Robinsons Supermarkets will be offering the following staples: pork belly/liempo at P250/kg, pork chop and kasim/pigue at P220/kg and ground pork at P200/kg.

Meanwhile, chicken drumsticks, breast and leg quarters are priced at P110/kg. The products available under the PRD Program Frozen Meat edition are priced much lower than those sold in regular supermarkets and public markets.

The PRD program frozen meat edition is also set to launch in Marikina Riverbanks Plaza on July 31. The program will run every Saturday in different areas within the NCR. Consumers are encouraged to follow the DTI’s Consumer Care official social media accounts for announcements regarding the program.