According to the Philippine Star reported on January 2, the latest data from the Philippine Department of Agriculture shows that as the African swine fever (ASF) epidemic continues to spread in the Philippines, as of December 29, 2023, there are at least 64 cases of ASF in 83 provinces in the Philippines. Nicanor Briones, president of the Philippine Pork Producers Federation, said the Philippine pig industry has lost at least 200 billion pesos (about 25.6 billion yuan) due to the ASF.

Nonon Tambago, president of the Federation of Philippine Pork Producers, criticized the government for extending the tariff reduction period for imported pork until the end of December 2024. Tan pointed out that due to the slump in the price of pig farm delivery, the extension of the tariff reduction period will further weaken the confidence of Philippine pig farmers. In the longer term, economic managers must take into account the plight of local farmers and address the wide spread between on-farm delivery prices and retail prices, rather than focusing on tariff reductions that favor a small number of importers and traders.