United Broiler Raisers Association (UBRA) president Elias Jose Inciong told The STAR that while local governments have a role in agricultural development, regulatory powers should remain with the Department of Agriculture (DA) to ensure uniformity across provinces.

 

"And really, the entire situation now really justifies a review of the local government. What should be handled by the local government should be the developmental aspect of agriculture, not the regulatory aspect," Inciong said on the sidelines of the first day of the Philippine Poultry Show 2025 and the International Livestock, Dairy, Meat Processing and Aquaculture Exposition at the SMX Convention Centre in Pasay City.

 

He noted that even in countries with federal systems, such as the US, the national agriculture department takes the lead during emergencies to prevent disruption across regions.

 

"Even in a federal system like the United States, if the Department of Agriculture (DA) says this is a system of movement in case of a flood or whatever kind of outbreak, the DA will prevail, the (United States Department of Agriculture) will prevail," he said.

 

The call comes amid recurring issues in the livestock and poultry sectors where responses to disease outbreaks have been hampered by conflicting decisions between the national government and local government units (LGUs).

 

During past episodes of African swine fever and avian influenza, farmers and traders complained of inconsistent quarantine and transport rules across provinces, often leading to delays and unnecessary losses.

 

Critics of the current system argue that while the Local Government Code was meant to empower communities, it has also fragmented agricultural regulation, leaving critical disease monitoring and movement protocols at the mercy of individual LGUs.

 

For UBRA, the latest disruptions have only underscored the need to revisit the law.

 

"If the DA says this is the standard for movement, then it should apply everywhere," Inciong said.