Prior to the integration of the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) economic into a single market in 2015, the Philippine government is in the process of developing new overseas markets for its livestock and poultry products.

Negotiations are underway for the Philippines' exportation of livestock and poultry products to Papua New Guinea, China, South Korea, Hong Kong, and Indonesia, said the director of the Bureau of Animal Industry (BAI), Rubina Cresencio.

"We constantly keep in touch with these countries to find out their health protocol and requirements. We are going to conduct a government-to-government collaboration to find out their requirements and protocol, and later on proceed to a business-to-business transaction," she said.

According to BAI, China and Indonesia intend to import beef, while South Korea and Hong Kong plan to bring in poultry. Papua New Guinea will import processed meat and pork cuts.

Cresencio said that the Philippines faces competition with Thailand and Vietnam, in poultry and pork products, respectively. However, it has an advantage over them, she added.