To keep the city’s hog industry alive and safe from the rising threat of African swine fever (ASF), the city government has temporarily banned the influx of live pigs, pork, and pork by-products from Luzon and certain countries.
Mayor Evelio Leonardia issued Executive Order No. 29 last Tuesday implementing a 90-day ban in support of the earlier initiative done by the Negros Occidental provincial government.
“There is an urgent need to adopt preventive measures to prevent an ASF virus outbreak in the city,” Leonardia added.
Bacolod, the capital city of Negros Occidental, is the country’s top backyard and swine producer, which has a PHP6-billion hog industry.
Both the city and the province stay ASF-free, just like the rest of Visayas and Mindanao.
The ban being implemented in Bacolod includes live pigs, hog carcass, pork, pork products and pork by-products originating from, and or processed in Luzon and countries affected by ASF, including China, Vietnam, Mongolia, Cambodia, Laos, Myanmar, North Korea, Russia, Hungary, Ukraine, Bulgaria, Czech Republic, Belgium, Moldova, Latvia, South Africa, Poland, Zambia, and Romania.
Furthermore, city agriculturist Goldwyn Nifras, vice-chair of Bacolod ASF Task Force said he has been talking with hog raisers in the city to learn of their concerns regarding the dangers of ASF.
A Task Force ASF was created last September 16 by Leonardia through a directive to safeguard the city against the highly contagious hog disease.
“There is a need to adopt preventive measures to prevent economic loss and protect the swine industry of the city,” the mayor said in the Executive Order No. 27.
Further monitoring and inspecting are highly needed to control the possible outbreak in the city. Leoanardia also stated the need to effectively address and formulate measures to guarantee the city’s protection against the disease. (RJ Espartinez)