- A 60-day pork import ban is signed, and Capitol wants fewer Negros hogs
- Capitol plans water trucks and rationing for upland barangays
- Voter registration for the 2028 elections is open
- El Niño farm losses near P10 billion; DA urges drought-tolerant crops
A 60-day pork import ban is signed, and Capitol wants fewer Negros hogs
Agriculture Secretary Francisco Tiu Laurel Jr. signed an order on Saturday, 7 November, stopping imports of fresh and frozen pork cuts, carcasses and offal for 60 days. The DA says imports pushed the average farmgate price down from P198.30 a kilo in 2025 to P175.75 in early 2026. The ban starts when Customs issues its order or 15 days after the order is published, whichever comes first. On Tuesday, 10 November, Governor Pamela Baricuatro said Cebu will agree with Negros Oriental on a cap for live hogs shipped here, after local raisers said they could not sell their pigs.
Backyard hog raisers in Carcar may see better farmgate prices; the DA puts break-even at about P165 a kilo and says it may extend the ban if prices stay below that. Lechon and chicharon makers who buy Negros hogs should expect tighter supply once a cap is set, though no number has been agreed yet. The DA says it expects only the usual small holiday price rise for pork, not a spike.
Sources: Department of Agriculture, GMA News, BusinessWorld, SunStar
Capitol plans water trucks and rationing for upland barangays
The Cebu provincial government said on Tuesday, 10 November, that it will ration water and send water trucks to communities that run short during El Niño, starting with mountain barangays. The provincial disaster office is listing the water trucks and fire trucks each town and city has, to see which need help. Province-owned treatment plants in Moalboal and Barili are running and will serve as refilling points, and more are being built. The province has not said when rationing would start. It is also preparing a campaign asking families to keep 72 hours of food, water and supplies.
Nothing changes at your tap yet, and no Carcar barangay has been named. The province says it will add to what each city already has, so requests go through City Hall. If water in your upland sitio is dropping, tell your barangay now so it is counted. Fix leaks and keep a few days of drinking water in clean, covered containers.
Sources: SunStar, The Manila Times
Voter registration for the 2028 elections is open
The Commission on Elections reopened voter registration on Tuesday, 10 November, for the May 2028 national and local elections. It covers first-time voters, voters transferring their records and those whose records were deactivated. Applications are filed at the Office of the Election Officer that covers your area or at satellite sites. Comelec wants to add about 3 million voters to the current 71 million. Reports differ on the closing date: the Inquirer says 30 July 2027 and SunStar says 30 June 2027.
If you moved to Carcar, turned voting age or had your record deactivated, register at the Comelec office for Carcar early rather than in the last weeks. Bring a valid government ID with your photo and address. Ask the office for the exact closing date, since reports disagree.
El Niño farm losses near P10 billion; DA urges drought-tolerant crops
The Department of Agriculture said on Wednesday, 11 November, that El Niño damage and losses have reached P9.99 billion in 16 regions, Central Visayas among them, affecting 324,327 farmers. Corn took the biggest hit, followed by rice. The DA says the figures are still being validated and expects a very strong El Niño into the first half of 2027. In Central Visayas, the DA is urging farmers short on water to plant a drought-tolerant rice variety, NSIC Rc 418, or quick crops such as squash, mung beans, cassava and sweet potato, and to mulch their soil.
Carcar farmers who lose crops should report it to the city agriculture office so it is counted for possible aid. If your field depends on rain, ask about the drought-tolerant rice before your next planting. Hog and poultry raisers should store water and feed now, since the DA warns of heat stress in animals.
Sources: GMA News, Daily Tribune, SunStar
