By Dominique Gabriel G. Bañaga

The Negros Occidental Provincial Veterinary Office (PVO) continues to intercept pork products in the province’s various ports as a precaution against African swine fever (ASF).

Based on the latest monitoring of the PVO’s ASF Task Force from November 21 to 27, they have confiscated a total of 56.25 kilos of pork and pork products with an estimated value of P74,000.

The biggest interception was at BREDCO Port in Bacolod City, wherein they confiscated 50.5 kilos of pork products.

PVO officer-in-charge Dr. Placeda Lemana said all of the confiscated pork products were immediately destroyed, either by burning or burial.

With the Christmas season now in full swing and with the expected demand for pork products, Lemana said they have not monitored any entry of ham products coming outside Negros Occidental, aside from Cebu province.

Currently, Negros Occidental and the neighboring provinces of Negros Oriental and Cebu are the only ASF-free areas in the Visayas./DGB, WDJ