By Dominique Gabriel G. Bañaga
The number of hog deaths in Negros Occidental has now dropped to two digits, latest data from the Provincial Veterinary Office (PVO) showed.
PVO data showed a total of 67 hog deaths were recorded on July 16, and 79 mortalities were logged on July 17.
Around 63 and 55 deaths were recorded on July 18 and 19, respectively.
Hog deaths are now at 17,216, or 9.51 percent of the province’s 164,334 total hog population, with damages now pegged at P194,695,750.
Earlier this month, the province recorded less than 150 hog deaths.
However, 153 barangays in 20 local government units have been affected by hog mortalities, caused by hog cholera, African swine fever (ASF) and other hog diseases.
The cities of Cadiz, Silay, Talisay, Bago, La Carlota, Himamaylan, Kabankalan, and San Carlos; and the municipalities of Manapla, E.B. Magalona, Murcia, San Enrique, Valladolid, Pulupandan, Pontevedra, Hinigaran, Binalbagan, Isabela, Ilog, and Cauayan have recorded swine deaths over the past weeks.
Governor Eugenio Jose Lacson attributed the decrease due to stricter biosecurity protocols.
Lacson hopes the number of hog mortalities will continue to decline and there will come a time when no more deaths will be recorded.
“We’re hoping for that day and we can start cleaning up the areas. I think that’s for the next three months,” he said.
Lacson will prioritize the disinfection of the hog breeding areas before starting the repopulation process, ensuring that it will not be affected by any diseases.
Despite the hog deaths, Negros Occidental was still able to ship more than 10,000 healthy pigs to other provinces earlier this month.
Lacson said the provincial government is already expediting the release of the cash assistance for the affected hog raisers.
He assures Negrenses that hog diseases, particularly hog cholera and ASF, are being contained, and the pork supply remains sufficient.
It can be recalled that 4,000 hog raisers will receive P2,000 from the provincial government.
The total budget allocated for the financial aid is P10 million./DGB, WDJ