Agricultural sector in deepening accountability crisis

At the heart of the findings is a collapse in the cattle levy system, one of the key revenue streams tied to the country’s livestock industry. The audit found that abattoirs across the country owe P2.3 million in unpaid slaughter levies, with some arrears dating back as far as 2012. The law is clear that levies must be paid within 14 days of slaughter, but in practice, enforcement appears almost nonexistent.

The Auditor General noted that at the time of audit in July 2025, several abattoirs had outstanding slaughter levies totalling P2 385 790, with some arrears dating back to 2012. “This was contrary to Section 5(2) of the Cattle Export and Slaughter Levy Act, which requires that “every abattoir or butchery shall, within 14 days of slaughtering any cattle, pay the levy imposed by the Act. In addition to long-standing arrears referred to above, repeated delays in remittance of slaughter levies beyond the statutory 14-day timeframe,” the report noted.