Porkless meat shop soon

When it comes to meat shops, I dare say that the most popular and highly visible meat shop in the Philippines would have to be Monterey. In every urbanized or developed municipality or town you are bound to find at least one, if not more, Monterey meat shop and they are of course the preferred go-to stores because of convenience and their wide array of products, particularly pork and chicken products. But that wide selection might be drastically reduced in the future due to ASF or African Swine Fever and how it has reportedly forced companies such as Monterey Farms and San Miguel Foods Inc. to eventually “get out of the hog raising business.” That decision could be in as soon as two months or just a few more months longer, but the writing has been on the walls of every hog raiser, whether backyard or commercial in size.

Last Friday, Cong. Nicanor “Nicky” Briones, former AGAP party-list representative and VP for Luzon of the Pork Producers Federation who guested on our program AGENDA earlier, sent us a link to a video posted by the LGU Bukidnon-Public Affairs Information and Assistance office wherein an inquiry was made by a provincial board member addressed to the Regional Operations Manager of San Miguel Foods Inc.:

Prov. Board member Nemesio Beltran Jr. :“Is it true Mr. Manager that San Miguel has ordered the shutting down of Monterey affiliated piggeries in Bukidnon and through out the Philippines?”

Mr. Christopher Panga (Regional Operations Manager – San Miguel Foods Inc) replied : “We regret to inform the Sanguniang Panlalawigan that the top management decided to slowly move out of the hog business operations on a national level due to, first and foremost reason, the African Swine Fever which devastated our Luzon (hog business) operations.”

The decision to slowly get out of the hog raising business by the biggest or one of the biggest corporate farms in the business is evidence that hog raising is not as profitable as many think, at least not when the threat of ASF is just “one slipper away” on the foot of an unsuspecting traveler, viajero or even farm owner. Add to that what I have often said: the higher cost due to bio-security and government regulation. Just like COVID-19, ASF is redefining the hog raising industry and from the looks of it, our future may be “localized farming” and “localized sale” where many raisers will be better off selling within their town, city or province without the need of getting ASF free certificates and not having to be at the mercy of viajeros who are now telling the media that it is the farms that are making a killing. If that were so, why would Monterey and several of the large farms I know decide to quit the business?

For the moment, the only silver lining I see in the decision of San Miguel Foods Inc. is that the gap or shortage their eventual pull out will create will be a blessing for the many hog raisers that use BMeg Premium Feeds. All SMFI has to do is link or enlist their BMeg feeds customer in every locality and make them SMFI partner-suppliers for all the thousands of Monterey meat shops all over the country. This is actually an option that has long been on the table, but it took ASF to fast track the transition. If this can be done correctly and thoroughly, San Miguel Foods Inc will be instrumental in making sure Monterey outlets continue to have quality pork products while providing a sure localized market for their BMeg customers. That would be living to their motto “Alagang BMeg – Alagang #1.”

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Last Friday’s article titled “ Something Worse Than Cancer” was intended to call attention to the difficult challenges faced by cancer patients as well as many public misconceptions. Perhaps the most important suggestion in the article was the one made by my wife Karen, who is Dutch and pointed out that all the different funds spread out among different charitable institutions as well as politicians should simply be placed under review, totaled and under law, made as a permanent budget under one specific agency or department where LGUs, hospitals and individuals may apply for funding or assistance.

Aside from that legislated change which we hope to see someday soon, what I did not expect is that the article would also rally a handful of friends to my sister’s aid as well as a series of small miracles and answered prayers. In particular, I just want to publicly thank Sen. Frank Drilon for reaching out. Senator Frank was buddy-buddy with my dad Louie Beltran which might explain things, but I remembered that Senator Drilon also went through the difficulty of losing his first wife. As I mentioned, when you share the pain, you have a better appreciation of the process.

Two other individuals who truly deserve praise for their unexpected aid are Jessica Soho and Marissa Flores (GMA-7) who have been called our sisters from a different mother. Through the years they have always showed up, especially when our Mom Marita passed away. They are the sort of friends who are in the distance but immediately show up when you need them the most. I have not had any updates or feedback regarding others who may have called my sister but let me thank Senator Drilon, Marissa and Jessica and the other angels of blessing. May the good Lord bless you a thousand fold in Peace, Joy and Happiness.

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