Local Economic Enterprise Office (LEEO) head Ariel Castañeda recently revealed 11 packs of pork siomai were confiscated from Iloilo Terminal Market after they were found to have originated from Antipolo City. The city is located in Rizal, where an African swine fever outbreak has been declared.
An earlier executive order by Iloilo City Mayor Jerry P. Treñas barred the entry of all meat and pork products from areas affected by the virus.
According to the City Veterinary Office, where the confiscated products were sent for processing, the items were not properly documented. City veterinarian, Dr. Tomas Forteza, has since coordinated with the Department of Agriculture and Bureau of Animal Industry regarding the matter, especially after discovering the items entered Panay via Roxas City, Capiz.
He added, samples were sent to the Food and Drug Administration in Manila for laboratory examinations, while the remainder will be destroyed.
Following the incident, the city government will be strengthening their monitoring and surveillance operations with the 40-person African Swine Fever Monitoring and Surveillance Task Force, who were presented to the mayor during yesterday’s flag ceremony.
“They will be reporting to the Bureau of Quarantine Service of the Bureau of Agriculture,” Forteza explained./WDJ