By CESAR JOLITO III

The Bacolod City government has launched an investigation into the alleged failure of the City Veterinary Office (CVO) to properly utilize millions worth of African swine fever (ASF) test kits — most of which expired on November 30.

City Administrator Mark Mayo confirmed that Mayor Greg Gasataya issued a show-cause order on Tuesday, December 2, to CVO head Dr. Maria Agueda dela Torre to explain why 39 out of 45 ASF test kits, each costing P63,000, were left unused until their expiration.

The city bought the kits on November 8, 2023, for a total of P2,457,000.

Dela Torre, who previously served as vice chairperson of Task Force ASF, was responsible for ensuring the proper custody, management and utilization of the testing supplies for surveillance and monitoring.

Mayo said the city’s inventory team uncovered the expired kits, raising concerns about possible lapses in planning, monitoring and implementation of ASF control activities.

“The expiration of a substantial number of test kits without full and timely utilization indicates possible deficiencies,” Mayo said, noting the incident may amount to gross neglect of duty and inefficiency and could violate government regulations on safeguarding public assets.

Dela Torre was given five days to submit her written explanation.

The investigation comes at a time when local hog growers continue to recover from the economic impact of ASF outbreaks, making the loss of key testing materials a significant setback for disease surveillance efforts in the city./CJ, WDJ