By Dominique Gabriel G. Bañaga

The Negros Occidental provincial government has requested the Commission on Elections (Comelec) to give them an exemption for the release of financial assistance for local raisers affected by the hog mortalities.

Provincial Administrator Atty. Rayfrando Diaz said they are ready to release the financial assistance as soon as the cleansing of the list of qualified beneficiaries is completed.

Diaz said the list is already at the accounting office.

Once approved, they will immediately get in touch with the local government units for aid distribution.

The provincial government has allocated P10 million for the initial cash assistance, but it could be increased through budget realignment.

Meanwhile, Diaz also affirmed that swine mortalities, brought by hog cholera and African swine fever, in Negros Occidental continue to drop, after the Provincial Incident Management Team recorded zero consecutive daily hog mortalities./DGB, WDJ