By Dominique Gabriel G. Bañaga

The Negros Occidental provincial government still has not yet declared a state of calamity in the province as hog mortalities have already affected 17 local government units. 

Governor Eugenio Jose Lacson is confident that the current situation in the hog industry can be contained, as data from the Provincial Veterinary Office (PVO) recorded no hog mortalities in previous days. 

Hog deaths, brought by hog cholera and African swine fever, have dropped anew in the province, recording more than 100 compared to around 150 a few days ago, and over 400 in previous weeks.

Lacson said the province will only declare a state of emergency if there is a significant increase in affected barangays or if swine deaths rise anew.

Based on the latest PVO data, hog deaths in Negros Occidental have now reached 14,581, with damages amounting to over P164 million.

Even with the hog mortalities, it was revealed that the province continues to ship out pigs to sellers in Luzon and other parts of the Visayas, with the province shipping out a total of 5,776 from June 1 to 16 of this year./DGB, WDJ