HOG BAN. Negros Occidental bans the entry of live pigs, pork and pork-related products from Negros Oriental starting Monday night (May 22, 2023), following reports of swine deaths due to African swine fever in Dauin town. Despite being ASF-free, Negros Occidental has recorded 4,308 swine deaths due to hog cholera as of May 19. (File photo courtesy of Negros Occidental-PIO)
BACOLOD CITY – The Negros Occidental provincial government has prohibited since Monday night the entry of live pigs, pork meat and pork-related products from Negros Oriental, which has reported swine deaths in Dauin town due to African swine fever (ASF).
The ban was ordered by Acting Governor Jeffrey Ferrer in a memorandum order issued to the Provincial ASF Task Force, Philippine National Police, Philippine Coast Guard, Department of Agriculture - Bureau of Animal Industry (DA - BAI), and other concerned agencies.
“We need to protect our territory with regards to ASF. As of now, we still have no case of ASF in Negros Occidental. We really have to protect our province,” Ferrer said in a radio interview on Tuesday.
BAI has confirmed that laboratory samples of swine deaths in Barangay Maayong Tubig in Dauin were caused by the ASF virus.
Negros Occidental also imposed a total ban on the entry of all live pigs, boar semen, pork, pork products and other pork-related items from Luzon, Mindanao, Eastern Visayas, Panay Island and Guimaras Island, which all have reported cases of ASF between 2019 and 2022.
In March this year, neighboring Cebu province was included in the ban, including Bantayan Island and Camotes Island, after the ASF virus was detected in Carcar City.
Despite being ASF-free, Negros Occidental has recorded 4,308 swine deaths due to hog cholera as of May 19.
The worst-hit are the hog farms in the Fourth District, including San Enrique town, 1,800 fatalities; Bago City, 838; Valladolid, 576; Pulupandan, 315; La Carlota City; and Pontevedra, 230.
San Enrique Mayor Jilson Tubillara said the municipal government is waiting for the action of the province to address the cases of hog cholera, following the meeting of the local government units with Governor Eugenio Jose Lacson last week.
“The entire Fourth District has already been tagged as red zone, which means there is ongoing severe infections,” Tubillara told Capitol reporters on Tuesday.
On Monday, Dr. Placeda Lemana, acting provincial veterinarian, said the Provincial Incident Management Team is working on the guidelines for the proper disposal of dead pigs to prevent the transmission of the virus. (PNA)
