Following the most recent African swine fever outbreak, Negros Occidental Governor Eugenio Jose Lacson yesterday signed a memorandum banning the entry of hogs and pork products from Mindanao. According to the governor, based on records and findings by the Provincial Veterinary Office, African swine fever has spread across the Mindanao region, particularly in Davao Occidental, where an estimated 1,000 hogs have already died.
He pointed out, the Department of Agriculture has no clear-cut and immediate measures to protect nearby regions and provinces.
Lacson also stated, such incidence of swine fever, pose a great threat to the province, especially being one of the gateways for livestock and meat products to provinces in Panay and Luzon.
In addition, the imposed ban is pursuant of Provincial Ordinance No. 2019-024, otherwise known as the “African swine fever Prevention Ordinance of Negros Occidental.”
Based on a report released by online news website Rappler, Davao Occidental Governor Claude Bautista declared a state of calamity following the recent outbreak.
He said the outbreak has left 7,000 hogs, out of the 13,000 hog population, in the town of Don Marcelino alone and, to prevent the virus from further spreading, they decided to cull the remaining pig population./DGB, WDJ