By Dominique Gabriel G. Bañaga

Cebu Governor Gwendolyn Garcia signed an executive order lifting border control on pork and pork byproducts within the province late Tuesday night, March 21.

During the meeting, Garcia questioned some of the policies being imposed by the national agencies in dealing with African swine fever (ASF).

“We will craft our own policies. We will define our own direction because, hello, this is the province of Cebu!” Garcia said.

The pork ban was lifted after a consultative meeting with Cebu-based hog raisers, officials from the Department of Agriculture (DA) and the Department of Health.

Previously, Garcia issued an executive order banning the entry of pork-related products after ASF was detected in Cebu province’s Carcar City.

The DA said ASF had already been detected in the cities of Cebu and Bogo City, and the towns of Liloan, Sibonga and Tuburan.

Last week, Negros Occidental Governor Eugenio Jose Lacson urged Garcia to reopen borders to allow Eastern Visayas-bound pork byproducts to pass through Cebu province.

Hog raisers in Negros Occidental have sought the help of Lacson.

However, Garcia never replied to Lacson’s appeal.

The Negros Occidental Provincial Veterinary Office said hog farmers in the province will lose P18 million per week if the pork entry ban remains.

The ASF-positive pig allegedly mingled with other hogs from Negros Island.

Negros Occidental and Negros Oriental remain ASF-free./DGB, WDJ