Cebu bans pork products from Mindanao

CEBU, Philippines — The Province of Cebu has imposed a 90-day temporary ban of pork and pork products from the entire island of Mindanao following confirmed African Swine Fever (ASF) cases in the Davao Region.

Governor Gwendolyn Garcia signed last night Executive Order No. 7, which also bans the entry of boar semen, pork-related products and by-products, and all other food products that have been commingled with pork from Mindanao.

This decision came after Garcia met with the Central Visayas Pork Producers Cooperative (CVIPPCO), the Department of Trade and Industry (DTI), the Bureau of Quarantine (BoQ), and the Food and Drug Authority (FDA) yesterday.

Garcia consulted the representatives these groups on the impact the extension will have on the pork supply in Cebu.

“I wanted to hear from them. You know that Mindanao is an island. Dali kaayo ang pag-cross og borders from one province to the next and we know that this bacteria can easily be transmitted through clothing, through tires of the vehicles, through grass… dali kaayo,” she said.

“All things considered, I listened to their concerns. I gave utmost importance to the question, kung atong i-ban ang Mindanao nga pork, will we have enough supply? They gave me that assurance for as long as we keep it in a 90-day basis only,” she added.

The pork producers also assured her that there will be no hike on the prices of pork here during the ban.

Garcia said the order will be operational by Thursday, February 13.

“This is to give due notice to those that may be in transit coming from other [provinces in Mindanao]. Makahatag ta’g due notice pud. Proper preparation sa tanan,” she explained.

Garcia is also set to sign another executive order that will extend the ban on pork, pork-related products, boar semen, live hogs, and commingled meat from Luzon, Eastern Visayas, and the Davao Region indefinitely.

“Even as I am also announcing that I shall now, in light of what is happening in Luzon, extend indefinitely the banning of the entry of pork and all pork-related products, as well as commingled products coming from Luzon,” she said.

She also clarified that despite the ban on pork from Mindanao being limited to only 90 days, the ban on pork from Davao Region will be indefinite since there are actual confirmed cases in the area.

Garcia is also set to meet with CVIPPCO, DTI and FDA today together with the Coast Guard, the Cebu Port Authority (CPA), and the National Meat Inspection Service (NMIS) for the operationalization of both EOs.

Lapu-Lapu order

In Lapu-Lapu City, Mayor Junard Chan also issued his own Executive Order 2020-018 banning the entry of pork, pork products, and by products that have been co-mingled with pork and pork products coming from Davao Region or Region XI.

The executive order also prohibits the entry of frozen boar semen, chicken, fish and other food products that were also commingled with pork and pork products from the region.

Chan issued the order on February 4, 2020, two days after the Bureau of Animal Industry confirmed the presence of African Swine Fever in Davao Region, which has resulted to the death of 1,000 pigs.

Chan said the temporary ban stays until the Department of Agriculture clears the provinces in Davao Region affected by ASF.

"There is a need to issue a similar order in Lapu-Lapu City to support and strengthen the efforts in preventing the spread of ASF virus in Cebu and protect its hog raising and pork processing industry considering that the domestic and international airport is located within its territorial jurisdiction," Chan's EO reads.

President Rodrigo Duterte also issued Administrative Order No. 22 that directed the strict implementation of DA’s Administrative Circular No. 12 or the “National Zoning and Movement Plan for African Swine Fever."

Duterte said there is an urgent need to ensure consistent implementation and compliance with DA circular for a more effective control the ASF virus toward its complete eradication. JMO (FREEMAN)