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Culling in 2 ASF-infected Davao villages completed

By Che Palicte

February 13, 2020, 5:37 pm

<p>Dr. Cerelyn Pinili, head of the Davao City Veterinarian’s Office (right).<em> (PNA file photo by Che Palicte)</em></p>

Dr. Cerelyn Pinili, head of the Davao City Veterinarian’s Office (right). (PNA file photo by Che Palicte)

DAVAO CITY -- The City Veterinarian’s Office (CVO) ended the culling of more than 2,000 pigs affected by African swine fever (ASF) in two villages in Calinan district here Wednesday.

Dr. Cerelyn Pinili, CVO head, said the culling of pigs in barangays Lamanan and Dominga in Calinan, where an ASF outbreak was earlier reported, had been terminated.

All affected hog raisers were given financial assistance as soon as they turned over their pigs to the authorities, Pinili said.

"We ensured that the raisers will receive the assistance immediately after they turned over their pigs. We don't want them to wait for how many days," she added.

Mayor Sara Z. Duterte announced on Monday that the local government has begun releasing the payouts to the affected farmers right after the City Council approved the declaration of a state of calamity in the two villages and the release of the financial assistance on February 8.

Pinili said aside from the culling of pigs, all personnel, vehicles, and other logistics involved in the culling operations would observe a downtime of three days.

She added that all personnel involved in the activities were not allowed to visit other barangays to prevent the disease from spreading, while all vehicles and other equipment used during the operation had undergone daily disinfection for three days.

"We will continue to conduct daily decontamination and disinfection activities for 30 days in barangays Lamanan and Dominga. If possible, no pigs will be reared anymore," Pinili said.

“I encourage everyone, if your pig is sick, call CVO for them to check, inspect, and conduct immediate depopulation if it turned out to be positive of ASF,” she added. (PNA)

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