By Dominique Gabriel G. Bañaga
Negros Occidental Governor Eugenio Jose Lacson said yesterday the provincial government cannot take any chances due to the threat posed by avian influenza or bird flu in the province.
This comes after Victorias City Mayor Javier Miguel “Javi” Benitez aired his sentiments over the disposal of P1.4 million worth of eggs recently.
Lacson said he respects Benitez’s opinion on the matter.
However, the governor pointed out the provincial government is very serious about preventing the entry of bird flu in Negros Occidental to protect its P8 billion poultry industry.
“As serious as we are with [African swine fever], anything that will threaten our livelihood, especially pork or chicken, we will continue to protect. We must remember that losing those industries will have a long-term effect on our province, so we cannot afford [it],” Lacson pointed out.
Lacson said the documentary requirements for the shipment of eggs were described as “dubious,” pointing out that the shipper’s business was pork products.
“What were they doing with eggs? That is very questionable and we don’t want to take any chances,” Lacson explained.
On February 5, authorities from Bacolod city government burned and destroyed P1.4 million worth of eggs from Cebu province’s Bantayan Island, which were intercepted in the city’s BREDCO Port.
The disposal sparked a backlash from local residents and netizens, with Benitez stating in a social media post that the eggs should have been donated instead.
“Kanugon nga ginsunog ang amo nga mga itlog. Kuntani nagpangita anay sang maayo nga solusyon imbes nga sunugon. Pwede man lang ma-donar ang amo nga mga itlog sa mga tawo nga gina-gutom,” Benitez said on his Facebook Story.
Earlier, Carlos Ting, Jr. of the city legal office justified the course of action taken.
“Public health and safety will always be our topmost priority,” Ting said.
“We have given our taskforces the authority to undertake the necessary precautionary measures to safeguard the public from poultry products such as eggs from areas affected by the highly pathogenic bird flu,” he added.
In December of last year, both the city and provincial governments signed a joint executive order prohibiting the entry of live bird and poultry products, including eggs, from areas affected by bird flu, particularly from Luzon, Mindanao, Panay Island, and Guimaras./DGB, WDJ