LECHON FESTIVAL VS. ASF. Pampanga Governor Dennis Pineda, other local chief executives and hog industry stakeholders feast on "lechon," "tocino," and "sisig" during the Pork and Meat Festival held in the City of San Fernando, Pampanga on Tuesday (Oct. 15, 2019). Themed “Karneng Baboy sa Pampanga Ligtas, Kumain at Mag-enjoy," the activity aimed to assure the public that pork and other meat products from Pampanga are safe to eat amid concerns on African swine fever. (Photo by Marna Del Rosario)
CITY OF SAN FERNANDO, Pampanga -- Local officials and swine producers in this province assured on Tuesday that pork and other processed meat here are safe for public consumption despite the reported cases of Asian swine fever (ASF) in some areas in Luzon.
This was announced by Governor Dennis Pineda during the Pork and Meat Festival with the theme “Karneng Baboy sa Pampanga Ligtas, Kumain at Mag-enjoy”.
Thousands of local officials and other stakeholders joined a boodle fight where 60 lechon or roasted pigs were served along with other pork dishes such as "asado" and "sisig" and processed meat like tocino.
“Ito po ay ginawa natin para ipakita sa mga kababayan natin dito sa Pampanga at sa mga kababayan natin sa ibang probinsiya na ang baboy o produkto na galing sa Pampanga ay safe kainin (We did this to show to our provincemates here in Pampanga and to the residents of other provinces that the pork and meat products coming from Pampanga are safe to eat),” Pineda said.
He said that processed meat products in Pampanga are made using mostly imported meat, thus, safe for consumption.
“Gusto ko pong ipaabot sa inyo lahat po na ang processed food halos imported po yung mga produktong binibili nilang baboy. Puro kumpleto po yung permit coming from the country na wala pong ASF. Kaya umaapela po ako sa inyo na sana po yung mga processed food namin e sana po papasukin niyo sa mga iba’t ibang probinsiya kasi po malaking kawalan po sa hanapbuhay kung ito po ay pipigilan natin (I want to convey to all that the meat in processed foods manufactured here are almost all imported. We have complete permits coming from countries without ASF. Thus, I am appealing to all that the processed food from here be allowed to enter the different provinces because it is a big loss in our livelihood if these will not be allowed),” the governor said.
Pineda also said that current culling operations in Pampanga are part of quarantine operations and preventive mechanism and does not necessarily confirm incidence of ASF.
“The province is implementing all necessary preventive measures for ASF. Pigs and pork products from Pampanga are safe to eat and people have nothing to fear about meat products coming from Pampanga,” he added.
Pampanga Swine Industry Association spokesperson Toto Gonzales also assured the public that the pork and meat products in the province are generally safe to eat.
“We join the national and local governments in allaying fears among the public and further assuring them that pork and pork products are generally safe and that ASF has no effect on human health,” Gonzales said. (PNA)
