Manila, June 11 -- The Department of Agriculture (DA) has allotted around PHP1.6 billion to implement measures aimed at addressing the spike in retail pork prices, Malacanang said on Wednesday.

Presidential Communications Office Undersecretary and Palace Press Officer Claire Castro said the budget will be used to purchase 13,000 finishers and 30,000 breeders under the Hog Repopulation Program.

Castro said the DA aims to produce one million finishers, while waiting for the vaccines against the African swine fever (ASF).

"Tumutugon po ang DA, at mayroon pong programa tungkol sa Hog Repopulation Program at ang pag-rollout po ng ASF vaccine (The DA is responding, and there is a program regarding the Hog Repopulation Program and the rollout...