By Dominique Gabriel G. Bañaga
The Sangguniang Bayan (SB) of Negros Occidental’s San Enrique town passed a resolution seeking a declaration of a “state of calamity” in the locality for suspected hog cholera.
Town vice mayor Carlo Raymund Magno said the resolution was passed last week after the municipality logged a total of 1,180 hog deaths.
However, Magno affirmed that they passed the resolution even though the Local Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Council or the Municipal Development Council had not yet issued a formal recommendation.
The mayor said a majority of hog raisers are asking for help from the local government.
“It would now depend on the executive branch kun ano ang ila [action], because ang SB will support kun ano man ang tikang sang executive,” Magno said.
Meanwhile, town mayor Jilson Tubillara said the local government unit is not yet in a “state of calamity.”
They are still awaiting word from the Negros Occidental provincial government on what would be their plans and programs to address the suspected hog deaths.
Tubillara said the entire 4th district is now declared as a “red zone” due to suspected hog cholera cases.
He admitted they currently do not have any budget allocated to combat the hog deaths in the municipality, but assured the public they are already looking into it.
The provincial government has also allocated funds to address the issue, he added.
Tubillara blamed the spread of hog cholera on the irresponsible dumping of infected hogs from upland villages on the river.
On Monday, May 22, Provincial Veterinary Office officer-in-charge Dr. Placeda Lemana said San Enrique has the highest mortality rate for hogs in the province with 1,800.
Hog cholera, also known as “classical swine fever,” is a highly contagious swine disease.
Unlike African swine fever, there is an existing vaccine for hog cholera.
The virus is harmless to humans.
Among the noted symptoms of hog cholera include fever, loss of appetite, dullness, weakness, conjunctivitis, constipation followed by diarrhea, and an unsteady gait./DGB, WDJ