The municipal hall of Magpet, North Cotabato (Photo courtesy of Magpet LGU)
MAGPET, North Cotabato – Members of the local council unanimously approved Monday a resolution declaring the municipality under a state of calamity due to the increasing cases of African swine fever (ASF).
Jupiter Rubino, the municipal administrator, said the utilization of the apportioned calamity fund, which he failed to disclose pending completion of government accounting procedure, will focus on manpower and operation of mounted ASF checkpoints to effectively contain the disease.
“We need the fund to consistently hold the spread of ASF to other villages and even to nearby towns”, Rubino said.
Meanwhile, provincial veterinarian Dr. Rufino Sorupia has labeled the adjacent villages of Ilian, Magcaalam, and Poblacion as “ground zero” for the ASF concern while two others -- Bantac and Tagbac-- were also restricted under the 500-meter containment rule.
To date, the provincial veterinary office has recorded 81 local hog owners with 260 hogs depopulated through euthanasia and were properly disposed of.
“We are also continuously conducting surveillance in all possible entry points of the province to avoid delivery of any possible infected live or processed products”, Sorupia said.
The Department of Agriculture, meanwhile, has allotted financial aid to affected hog raisers here.
Each hog, aged 40 days and above, will be paid the amount of PHP5,000, Sorupia said.
The hog raisers are also entitled to receive livelihood grants from the provincial government like seedlings and livestock as earlier committed by Governor Nancy Catamco. (PNA)
