By Dominique Gabriel G. Bañaga
The Negros Occidental Provincial Veterinary Office (PVO) has intensified its monitoring of the entry of pork products, as the ferry trips between Guimaras and the province’s Pulupandan town have resumed after two years of suspension due to the COVID-19 pandemic.
PVO head Dr. Placeda Lemana said inspectors were deployed at the Pulupandan Port to monitor and intercept passengers carrying pork and pork by-products from Guimaras.
The island province’s towns of Buenavista and Jordan have been declared as red zones as cases of African swine fever (ASF) have been detected there.
Most of the commercial hog farms in Negros Occidental are located in the fourth district, Lemana said.
She also noted that local government units (LGUs) as well as villages are supportive of the province’s campaign against ASF.
“We are very blessed that we have maintained the province to be ASF-free because of the support of the LGUs in preventing the entry [of banned pork products],” Lemana said.
Meanwhile, NaviMar Shipping announced they will be launching ferry services between Pulupandan’s Paco Beach and Sebaste wharf in Guimaras’ Sibunag town last week.
According to the shipping line’s social media page, the trips are still on a dry-run stage, with fares at P220.
The company also reminded passengers that carrying pork and pork by-products is strictly prohibited as part of anti-ASF protocols.
In the province’s Bago City, five coastal villages have been identified as areas where both local and Guimaras boats dock regularly.
Meanwhile, Lemana said there has been a decrease in the volume of confiscated pork products, wherein more than P60,000 worth of items were seized last week compared to the previous weeks, which reached P200,000.
“In the previous week, we apprehended piglets from Negros Oriental without proper documents and we shipped them back. Even if the product came from an unaffected area, but without documents, it still cannot enter the province,” Lemana said./With a report from PNA / DGB, WDJ