According to a report of radio dzBB's Allan Gatus on Monday, Mr Alcala ordered the National Meat Inspection Service (NMIS) to check markets for smuggled meat.

According to GMA News, the report said Mr Alcala will meet with hog and chicken raisers to find solutions against meat smuggling.

They will also discuss the possibility of exporting local meat to the Middle East, Japan, Malaysia, and South Korea.

Last week, agriculture and Customs officials assured hog and poultry growers that they are working to address their concerns about meat smuggling.

DA Assistant Secretary Salvador Salacup said growers complained about technical smuggling or the wrong declaration of prime cuts by unscrupulous parties to avoid paying higher tariffs.

Earlier reports said hog raisers were threatening to go on a “pork holiday” to protest against the technical smuggling of pork.

"Rest assured the government, particularly the DA and Department of Finance's Bureau of Customs, we're working out the mechanism to hit on that major issue of technical smuggling," Mr Salacup said in an interview over dzBB radio on Friday last week.