By Dominique Gabriel G. Bañaga
Hog mortalities in Negros Occidental are decreasing, provincial administrator Atty. Rayfrando Diaz said yesterday.
Based on data forwarded by the Provincial Veterinary Office (PVO), the province has recorded only 140 to 150 swine mortalities over the past few days.
The numbers are far from the over 400 hog deaths logged per day in the previous weeks.
As of Monday, June 19, losses due to hog mortalities are now at P152,774,975, with 13,572 deaths or 9.48 percent of the hog population.
Around 2,600 hog raisers from 140 villages in 17 local government units (LGUs) in Negros Occidental have been affected, the PVO data said.
Several LGUs reported their livestock have already been depleted, while some localities are confident they will be able to protect their swine population against diseases such as hog cholera and African swine fever (ASF).
Diaz said municipal and city mayors in each LGU have the right to directly submit hog blood samples to the Department of Agriculture in Western Visayas for ASF testing.
The province aims to provide financial assistance of P2,000 for affected local hog raisers before the barangay and Sangguniang Kabataan elections in October.
Some non-government organizations will also extend aid to over 400 hog raisers.
Currently, capital Bacolod City and Negros Occidental cities of Silay and Victorias, and Pulupandan town have confirmed ASF cases.
Meanwhile, the Kabankalan City government awaits the test results of blood samples from pigs suspected to have died from ASF.
There is no official information to confirm that the hogs have been infected by the hog illness, City Mayor Benjie Miranda said.
The city recorded around 2,000 hog mortalities caused by various diseases in Hilamonan, Daan Banua and Binicuil villages.
Earlier, Negros Occidental Governor Eugenio Jose Lacson welcomed the development that the Portuguese government has already offered assistance in eradicating ASF cases in the country.
“I hope they have [an ASF] vaccine,” Lacson said.
ASF vaccines are being requested by local hog raisers, believing it is the only way to control the spread of hog illness./DGB, WDJ