Gov’t eyes lower tariffs on meat, fish imports to address inflation

REPRESENTATIVE ARROYO / SAVED IN APRIL 5, 2017 FILE - Pampanga Representative Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo speaks during a news conference at the House of Representatives, December 5, 2016. (FOR NIKKO DIZON STORY)

SPEAKER Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo and the Duterte administration’s economic managers tackled the possible lowering of tariffs on meat and fish imports in a meeting to discuss measures to mitigate the impact of soaring inflation.

“To cushion the impact of rising prices, pushing for lower tariffs on meat and fish imports is one of the proposed measures discussed during the recent meeting between President Duterte’s economic managers and Speaker Gloria Macapagal Arroyo,” Presidential spokesperson Harry Roque said in a statement on Sunday.

The Palace official added that the “economic managers are happy to be continuing to be working closely with the leadership of the legislature.”

Arroyo, an economist, met with President Duterte’s economic managers on Tuesday to help address the issue on increasing prices of commodities.

Socioeconomic Planning Secretary Ernesto Pernia said they discussed that rice tariffication would help curb rising prices.

Before the meeting, Arroyo noted that she primarily wanted to get a briefing on the proposed P3.757-trillion budget for 2019.

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