HOG, PORK BAN. A truckload of live hogs is seen traversing the Cebu South Coastal Road in Talisay City on Friday (Feb. 21, 2020). Governor Gwendolyn Garcia issued an executive order implementing stricter measures to prevent the entry of African swine fever (ASF) into the province, despite the National Zoning and Movement Plan of the Department of Agriculture which allows entry of hogs and pork into free zones or zones in the country that have no case of the swine disease. (PNA photo by John Rey Saavedra)
CEBU CITY – Governor Gwendolyn Garcia has stood pat to ban the entry of live hogs, pork and pork products in the province despite the national zoning and movement plan by the Department of Agriculture (DA) amid the African swine fever (ASF) scare.
Garcia issued Executive Order No. 8 dated Feb. 19, 2020 implementing Administrative Order No. 12 series of 2019 issued by DA, which maps out the different zones that guide movement protocols of live hogs, pork, pork products, and by-products to control the spread of the ASF virus.
President Duterte also signed Administrative Order No. 22 directing all government agencies and local government units to strictly implement the national zoning and movement plan for hogs and pork due to the ASF.
Garcia said in the national zoning and movement plan, Cebu province has been categorized as Dark Green Zone which is considered as a free zone.
However, she noticed that the administrative order uses the word “can” instead of “shall” which, she said, does not connote mandatory nature in complying with it.
“(I)t is our position that it is the choice of the Provincial Government whether to allow the entry of live hogs, piglets, live boars, boar semen, pork, pork products, and by-products. Pork feeds, and other genetic materials into the Province of Cebu,” Garcia said in her EO.
In faith that the provincial government is given full discretion in determining certain parameters affecting the implementation of the plan, Garcia categorically ordered a ban on the shipment of live pigs from Luzon, Mindanao, and Eastern Visayas region.
“Live pigs from free zones in the Visayas except Region 8 (Eastern Visayas) will be allowed entry into the Province of Cebu, provided they are accompanied by a Veterinary Health Certificate and a shipping permit,” she said in the order.
Garcia also ordered the prohibition of the entry of breeder pigs, boars, and boar semen from Luzon, Mindanao, and Eastern Visayas.
Breeder pigs, boars and boar semen from free zones in the Visayas will be allowed entry if the shipper can present a certificate of laboratory compliance as a breeder from the Bureau of Animal Industry, shipping permit and veterinary health certificate, she said.
Garcia said genetic materials from ASF-free countries that “will go through transit points” in Cebu’s seaport or airport will be allowed entry into the province only if these are delivered directly to the destination and the consignee can present sanitary and phytosanitary import clearance and veterinary quarantine clearance.
“The entry of feeds from Luzon, Mindanao and Region 8 into the Province of Cebu is strictly prohibited,” she added.
In the EO, Garcia also laid out ground actions for handling pork, pork products and pork by-products in the wet markets, pork-based manufacturing plants and cold storage warehouses in the province.
She reiterated strict prohibition of bringing of pork from Luzon, Mindanao, and Eastern Visayas into the province.
Pork meat from the free zones in the Visayas will be allowed entry if the shipper complies the meat inspection certificate from the National Meat Inspection Service (NMIS), shipping permits, and the certificate of meat inspection if imported from ASF-free countries.
She also ordered the strict ban of fresh, chilled, frozen and semi-processed and fully-cooked pork products and pork by-products from Luzon, Mindanao, and Eastern Visayas.
“Only pork products and by-products from free zones in the Visayas, except Region 8, and ASF-free countries shall be allowed entry into the Province of Cebu provided they are accompanied by requirements from the Food and Drug Administration such as license to operate, certificate of product registration and certificate of meat inspection,” she added.
Cooked and canned products from ASF-free countries and other free zones in the Visayas, other than Region 8, are allowed but Food and Drug Administration licenses to operate and certificate of product registration must be presented. (PNA)
