By MERLINDA A. PEDROSA
The Bacolod City government will enforce stronger measures to prevent the possible resurgence and spread of African swine fever (ASF), a highly contagious and deadly disease affecting hogs.
Mayor Greg Gasataya, who recently convened the city’s Task Force on ASF, said the city will impose a ban on imported pork and pork byproducts to protect hog raisers, vendors, transporters, and consumers who are part of the billion-peso swine industry.
Gasataya said he will also issue an executive order to intensify monitoring in 13 identified border control areas, including seaports, to strengthen surveillance, inspection and monitoring activities.
“We have identified 13 areas where supplies could possibly pass through. We will also ban the entry of imported pork and pork products, particularly those without the necessary permits from concerned agencies,” Gasataya said.
The mayor said coordination among concerned agencies will be further strengthened to strictly monitor and prevent the entry and sale of hot meat, as well as pork and pork meat products lacking the required documentation from slaughterhouses and other regulatory requirements.
Meanwhile, City Administrator Mark Steven Mayo said the city is finalizing the procurement of ASF test kits based on the current status of its campaign on hog disease prevention.
He also reminded meat vendors to secure meat inspection certificates from the city’s slaughterhouse to ensure that their products are free from ASF.
10 hog deaths
At least 10 pigs in the city have died due to suspected ASF, City Administrator Mark Steven Mayo said yesterday.
Based on the City Veterinary Office (CVO) report, two hog deaths were recorded in Barangay Alijis, seven in Barangay Taculing, and one in Barangay 35.
“For now, these are not confirmed ASF cases. Samples have already been collected and will be sent to the Department of Agriculture in Western Visayas for confirmation,” he said.
Based on data from the City Agriculture Office, Bacolod has a total of 109 backyard hog raisers.
Mayo urged hog raisers to report any swine deaths to the CVO immediately so authorities can determine the cause of death.
He also appealed to them to stop slaughtering dying or sick pigs.
“We should avoid doing this. Once we establish that there was an intent to cause harm or violate existing regulations, we will take appropriate action,” Mayo said.
Earlier, ASF cases had been confirmed in several southern localities in Negros Occidental, recording at least 1,000 swine deaths across the province.
Localities are intensifying biosecurity measures following hog losses valued at approximately P14.46 million.
The swine deaths from May 20 and June 22 caused losses accounting for 4.06 percent of the province’s 29,880 hog population, according to data from the provincial government./MAP, WDJ