THE Philippine government could generate up to P2.68 billion in additional revenue by reclassifying frozen pork jowl and imposing higher tariffs, according to the Department of Agriculture (DA).
A local manufacturer that uses frozen pork jowl as a raw material warned that this move will trickle down to the cost of processed meat products, such as sausages and longganisa, with Filipino consumers feeling the pinch of higher prices. Frozen pork jowl is used for a vastly popular Filipino fare, ‘sisig,’ which is carried by both low-end and high-class restaurants.
The DA claimed that the government could potentially generate P1.34 billion to P2.68 billion in revenue if the corresponding tariff rate on swine meat is applied to frozen pork jowl through a reclassification.
The agency disclosed its estimates during the Tariff Commission’s public hearing on the DA’s petition to modify the tariffs levied on frozen pork jowl by reclassifying it as swine meat.
The DA based its figures on the average three-year tariff collection from frozen pork jowl of P893 million at the current 10-percent rate.
Should the government reclassify the commodity as swine meat and levy it with 25 percent as stipulated in the tariff scheme under Executive Order (EO) 62, this could grow to P2.23 billion.
When EO 62 lapses in 2029, the tariff scheme on pork imports will revert to 30 percent for in-quota and 40 percent for out-quota shipments. Revenues could then climb to P3.57 billion.
‘While we do acknowledge that the actual amount would depend on historical import volumes and the applicable tariff [rate], it illustrates how a seemingly technical classification issue can have substantial fiscal implications,’ the DA said.
It added that these revenues could contribute to government programs supporting the development and competitiveness of the domestic livestock industry, such as the P20-billion annual allocation under the Animal Competitiveness Enhancement Fund (Ancef).
The Animal Industry Development and Competitiveness Act (Aidca) created the Ancef, which comprises tariffs collected from livestock, poultry, and dairy imports.
Domino effect on consumers
Local manufacturer Mishie Tongson from PrimeAgri said reclassifying and imposing higher duties on frozen pork jowl would be ‘unfair’ for producers of processed meat goods, already subject to value-added tax (VAT).
‘If we impose a high tariff or reclassify it to be similar to the classification of [swine] meat, everything will have a domino effect on the supply chain,’ Tongson said.
She added that on top of imposed taxes, the increase in minimum wage and transportation costs would be added to manufactured goods, ‘which will ultimately be passed onto the consumer.’
‘The business owner is just processing it; everything that increases [along the supply chain] is passed on to the consumer. So if that happens, almost all of our pork products will become more expensive,’ Tongson added.
Government data showed that imports of frozen pork jowl increased to 138,000 metric tons (MT) in 2025, from 111,000 MT in 2023. Shipments of the commodity, however, declined by 24 percent year-on-year in the first half of 2026.
The European Union is the Philippines’s top supplier of frozen pork jowl, accounting for 79 percent of shipments in the reference period.