Agriculture Secretary Francisco P. Tiu Laurel Jr. has approved the three-year accreditation of 13 Chilean companies to export beef, pork, and chicken to the Philippines, a move seen to further diversify the country’s food sources amid persistent supply bottlenecks and livestock diseases.
The accreditation, valid through 2028, allows the companies to ship not only meat but also offals, animal fats, and other by-products.
Secretary Tiu Laurel said the approval followed a request from the Chilean government and a June inspection mission by the Department of Agriculture (DA) to Chile. The team assessed the country’s veterinary services, animal health systems, and food safety controls as part of the accreditation process for foreign meat establishments.
The DA chief said the mission found Chile compliant with the standards of the World Organization for Animal Health, while the 13 companies passed Philippine quarantine and meat inspection requirements.
“As much as we strive to produce more food locally, we also need to ensure steady and reliable sources overseas,” Tiu Laurel said. “Recent natural calamities and recurring animal diseases remind us of the importance of securing alternative food supply channels to protect consumers and stabilize prices.”
The new accreditation expands the Philippines’ network of global meat suppliers, complementing imports from traditional sources such as the United States, Canada, Brazil, and Spain. It also supports the broader strategy of the administration of President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. to strengthen food security by building supply resilience and preventing disruptions in the domestic market.
