Google map of Tulunan, North Cotabato
TULUNAN, North Cotabato – This town is now included in the list of areas in the province penetrated by the African swine fever (ASF), an official here said Friday.
Jose Quinonero, the town agriculturist, said the existence of the ASF in this town came following the confirmation of laboratory results from the Bureau of Animal Industry of the Department of Agriculture in Soccsksargen (DA-12) in General Santos City.
Quinonero said the ASF case here was traced in Barangay Bagumbayan.
“A resident from the village promptly reported his ailing hogs manifested symptoms of ASF that’s why we immediately gathered samples for the test earlier this week,” he said.
According to Quinonero, 49 hogs were culled with 14 farmers affected, all at Purok 3 of the village.
‘This is to arrest the possible infestation of the disease to nearby villages,” he said.
The green zone outside the 500-meter radius of the affected village is closely monitored to control the withdrawal of hogs and any meat products from the area.
“These farmers must have to secure clearances from the barangay and provincial agriculturists if they wish to pull out their hogs for business and or consumption”, Quinonero said.
For local consumption, hog owners must secure a clearance permit from the barangay office, while hogs that will be transported outside Tulunan must get a travel permit from the office of the provincial agriculturist, he added.
Tulunan is the fourth town in the province hit by the ASF infestation this year.
Earlier infected with the ASF were 19 villages in M’lang town; eight in Kabacan; and six in Matalam.
Meantime, the town government has coordinated with the Philippine Crop Insurance Corporation to identify the registered and non-registered hog raisers in Bagumbayan village for the respective assistance amid the infestation.
Earlier declared ASF-free is Kidapawan City after facing the hog disease virus for almost a year in 2021, while adjacent Magpet town has also kicked off its sentinel program in its eight former affected villages. (PNA)
