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Pork meat products seized at NegOr ports as anti-ASF measure

By Mary Judaline Partlow

October 11, 2019, 9:06 pm

<p><strong>SEIZED 'SIOPAO'.</strong> Authorities at the Dumaguete airport seize around 100 pieces of "siopao" containing pork meat from a passenger on board a commercial flight from Manila on Friday (Oct. 11, 2019). The confiscated steamed buns were buried as part of local measures to prevent the entry of African swine fever to Negros Oriental, which remains free of the virus that affects pigs. <em>(Photo courtesy of the Bureau of Animal Industry)</em></p>

SEIZED 'SIOPAO'. Authorities at the Dumaguete airport seize around 100 pieces of "siopao" containing pork meat from a passenger on board a commercial flight from Manila on Friday (Oct. 11, 2019). The confiscated steamed buns were buried as part of local measures to prevent the entry of African swine fever to Negros Oriental, which remains free of the virus that affects pigs. (Photo courtesy of the Bureau of Animal Industry)

DUMAGUETE CITY – Authorities have seized “siopao”, “siomai”, “lumpia”, and raw pork meat at various ports of entry in Negros Oriental as the provincial government tightens its measures to prevent the entry of African swine fever (ASF) to the Visayas and Mindanao areas.

The latest to be confiscated on Friday afternoon were three packs or more or less 100 pieces of “siopao” from a passenger on board a commercial flight from Manila that landed at the Dumaguete-Sibulan airport.

The steamed buns, placed in a styro-box, were said to be just for “home consumption”.

However, Dr. Alfonso Tundag, Quarantine Officer of the Bureau of Animal Industry here, said food containing processed meat is also banned from entering the province in view of the presence of ASF virus in thousands of pigs in Luzon.

Also on Friday, another quarantine inspector assigned at the Tangil seaport in Guihulngan City, Negros Oriental, confiscated five kilos of raw pig meat which reportedly came from the nearby province of Cebu, Tundag said.

On Thursday, the quarantine inspector assigned at the airport seized “siomai” (dumplings) and “lumpia” (spring rolls) also placed in an ice box from a passenger of a commercial flight from Manila, he said.

Although he admitted that ASF is not zoonotic or infectious and does not pose any risk to humans, the danger is when food that contains hog meat infected with the virus is not properly disposed of.

Once this happens, the ASF virus can infect swine herds and people who are breeding pigs will be the most affected.

Tundag said hog raisers in the province are complaining of economic losses as they are now selling their pigs for as low as PHP2,500 per head, almost half of the previous average selling price.

The quarantine officer advised the public to cooperate with the government by not bringing to Negros Oriental processed and frozen foods containing pork from Manila or any part of Luzon unless they have the necessary permits from the Food and Drug Administration. (PNA)

 

 

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