The Philippine swine industry, along with poultry, has consistently dominated other livestock industries in terms of volume and value of production. In 2002, total pork production was 1.67 M metric tons valued at 86.72B. Region III has the biggest share of the total production (15.62%), followed by CALABARZON (12.79%), while the Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao (ARMM) contributed the lowest share of production at only 0.46%. Being the biggest and most organized industry among the local livestock industries, the swine industry provides business and employment opportunities. The industry also provides additional income to smallhold swine raisers who keep 76.8% of the pig population in the country. Moreover, the industry also sparks the development of related industries (i.e. veterinary drug and feed milling).

The preference of Filipino consumers for fresh warm or chilled pork over frozen pork gives the local industry market assurance of its products. However, the importation of low-priced beef, buffalo meat and poultry meat may create a shift in consumption from pork to these cheaper alternatives. The etablishment of large-scale (1,000 to 120,000 sow level) integrated pig farms by foreign investors in free port zone using imported breeder stocks, technology, and other production inputs is an indirect importation of pork with minimal or no tariff at all. This scenario poses a threat to the local swine entrpreneurs. Hence, the local swine industry needs to modernized to ensure that it can withstand any form of competition. To ehance its global competitiveness, the government should work with the private sector in providing the livestock sector with policy reforms on importation, trade, pricing of inputs and support in terms of technology and infrastructure.