ASF-FREE. Western Visayas continues to reach out to stakeholders to help keep Western Visayas free from African swine fever (ASF) and protect its PHP20-billion hog industry. Dr. Jonic Natividad, chief of the DA 6 Regulatory Division and ASF focal person, said on Wednesday (Nov. 24, 2021) that local governments are urged to implement the “Bantay ASF sa Barangay” (BABay ASF) program. (File photo courtesy of Elma Pena/DA6)
ILOILO CITY – The Department of Agriculture in Western Visayas (DA6) continues to campaign for local government units (LGUs) to fully implement the “Bantay ASF (African swine fever) sa Barangay” (BABay ASF) program to protect the region’s PHP20-billion hog industry.
“The BABay ASF program involves the cooperation of LGUs. That is essential because when needed, the LGU is supposed to be the first to respond,” said Dr. Jonic Natividad, chief of the DA 6 Regulatory Division and ASF focal person.
He added that the program is already fully implemented either through an ordinance or executive order (EO) in Capiz, five towns of Guimaras, around 30 LGUs in Negros Occidental, and more or less five towns in Antique.
LGUs in Aklan and Iloilo are yet to adopt the program. This means that they only follow the authority provided by the provincial government.
He added that it would be stronger if they have the program implemented down to the municipal level, especially since the economy is starting to open.
The BABay ASF program was launched in Aklan in March this year.
It seeks to create an effective ASF monitoring, surveillance, and reporting system, to intensify the practice of biosecurity measures in all hog farms, and to assist in recovering the hog industry.
Nonetheless, Natividad said that they continue to campaign for consumers not to buy pork products coming from places with ASF cases.
They also continue to reach out to online sellers, who took advantage of low-priced pork products coming ASF areas.
Other traders are deceptive and tried to avoid the regulation by misdeclaring their goods, he said.
Western Visayas is among the regions in the country that remain ASF-free. (PNA)
