By Dominique Gabriel G. Bañaga
The hog population in Negros Occidental’s San Enrique town has almost been wiped out due to hog cholera and other swine diseases, data from the Provincial Veterinary Office (PVO) showed.
As of Sunday, June 11, data revealed that 99.22 percent of the 2,692 total hog population in the town have died of various hog diseases, with only 21 hogs remaining.
Around 500 hog raisers in 10 barangays in San Enrique have been affected by swine mortalities.
For the entire Negros Occidental, the PVO said 12,139 hogs have died, or roughly 9.26 percent of the province’s total hog population.
Losses due to hog deaths, which have already affected 126 barangays in 16 local government units in the province, have now reached P136,311,800.
Most of the hog mortalities were caused by hog cholera, while some were due to African swine fever (ASF).
San Enrique was followed by Bago City in the most number of hog deaths at 2,264, then Valladolid (2,132), Pontevedra (1,204), E.B. Magalona (908), Pulupandan (833), La Carlota City (468), Ilog (373), Manapla (322), Kabankalan City (258), Binalbagan (234), Cadiz City (169), Silay City (132), Murcia (96), Talisay City (60), and Hinigaran (15), PVO data showed.
Capital Bacolod City, Pulupandan town and Victorias City reported confirmed ASF cases recently.
ASF reaches Silay
Meanwhile, Silay City Mayor Joedith Gallego confirmed yesterday that two pigs from city barangays Patag and Guinhalaran have tested positive for ASF.
Upon receiving the confirmatory test results, Gallego said the City Veterinary Office and the Silay police immediately locked down the said villages to prohibit the movement of live hogs.
He also admitted the city government still do not have concrete plans with regards to handing out financial assistance to affected hog raisers in the city.
He is studying a proposal to distribute piglets to affected raisers next year.
Himamaylan awaiting results
In Himamaylan City, Mayor Raymund Tongson said they are waiting for the results of random tests conducted on hogs in the city.
Tongson said so far there are no confirmed cases of hog cholera or ASF in the local government unit yet, despite recording a number of hog deaths.
He instructed barangay officials to establish checkpoints to limit the transport of hogs in the city.
The city government, in an executive order issued on June 8, banned the entry of live hogs and pork-related products from other areas in the province to Himamaylan./DGB, WDJ