Villar lauds signing of RA 12308 allocating ₱200B for animal industry development

Former Senator Cynthia Villar lauded the signing of Republic Act No. 12308, the Animal Industry Development and Competitiveness Act (AIDCA), which allocates ₱200 billion over 10 years to modernize the country's livestock, poultry, and dairy sectors.

The new law, signed by President Ferdinand Marcos Jr., elevates the Bureau of Animal Industry (BAI) to a line agency under the Department of Agriculture, enhancing its regulatory powers and bolstering the Philippine Carabao Center and National Dairy Authority with expanded mandates.

AIDCA aims to address the significant losses incurred by the animal industry, particularly the ₱100 billion deficit in 2023 due to the African Swine Fever outbreak, which caused a 20.8 percent reduction in pork production.

A key component of the law is the creation of the Animal Competitiveness Enhancement Fund (AnCEF), which will receive ₱20 billion annually from import tariffs to finance various programs.

The AnCEF will support initiatives such as herd repopulation, animal health programs, facility upgrades, food safety measures, access to credit, and farmer training.

Specific allocations from the fund include significant portions for repopulation, infrastructure, food safety and training, and credit support, alongside provisions for biotechnology, vaccine development, and herd repopulation.