Negros wants permanent stop to entry of pork products

Negros Occidental, Philippines — is looking to impose a permanent ban on the entry of pork and processed pork products even once the African swine fever has been eradicated in the country.

Negros Occidental provincial veterinarian Renante Decena said the local government is planning to pass an order that would permanently halt the entry of processed pork products from other areas.

“The problem with ASF is that it would take years. As a veterinarian, we know that this disease cannot be eradicated immediately. It can be contained and controlled for months, but it will still be there. It will take time,” Decena said.

“The ordinance will be drafted by the Sangguniang Panlalawigan and would have to undergo sessions of public hearing,” he said.

Negros recently passed a resolution for the continuous implementation of the ban despite a memorandum issued by Interior Secretary Eduardo Año for local government units to lift the ban on products with certification from the Food and Drug Administration.

“We have to maintain our status as the country’s top backyard swine producer. We are supplying Manila, Cebu, and adjacent provinces in Panay,” Decena said.

“Our surplus is about 4,000 heads per week so we have to help the hog farmers of our 31 LGUs,” he added.

In September, upon confirmation of the ASF in the country, Negros imposed a 90-day temporary ban on the entry of pork and other processed pork products.

We want it permanent. We will be proposing that through several resolution from commercial and backyard hog raisers, as well as from veterinary associations,” Decena said.

“As LGUs, we have autonomy. Negros is an island, we are an archipelagic country and the best quarantine measures are the sea and the air. We want to protect our industry.”

Within their respective territorial jurisdictions, local government units shall ensure and support, among other things, the preservation and enrichment of culture, promote health and safety, enhance the right of the people to a balanced ecology, encourage and support the development of appropriate and self-reliant scientific and technological capabilities, improve public morals, enhance economic prosperity and social justice, promote full employment among their residents, maintain peace and order, and preserve the comfort and convenience of their inhabitants.

The DA has confirmed Bulacan, Cavite, Nueva Ecija, Pampanga, Pangasinan and Rizal, as well as Quezon City, have ASF cases.

The DA has so far culled 62,000 hogs since the outbreak started in August.