CEBU, Philippines — The Department of Veterinary Medicine and Fisheries (DVMF) is calling on the public, especially travelers from Mindanao and other parts of Luzon, not to bring pork meat, as well as lechon, when they come to Cebu City.
As reported by the city’s Public Information Office (PIO), the DVMF continues to implement strict border control by assigning meat inspectors in ports for close monitoring to ensure that African Swine Fever (ASF) will not enter the city.
Last week, the department was able to seize more than 70 kilos of pork meat and lechon at the ports of the city brought by passengers from Mindanao, Masbate, and some parts of Luzon.
They also seized chicharon which was sold in a supermarket here that came from areas in Luzon.
“Dili nalang sila magbaon og kanang mga humba, litson, kay naa man gud tay litson dinhi mas lami pa. Unya ikaduha dili ta gusto magka-ASF ta,” said DVMF head Jessica Maribojoc.
“So, since kung taga-Cebu City or Cebu Province sila nagpuyo ‘nya moagi sila sa pier dinhi, dili nalang sila magdala og pork products kay imbargahon gyud nato. Gabug-at-bug-at pa sila sa ilang bagahe,” she added.
Maribojoc earlier said that the city is still ASF-free. To maintain this, the DVMF still bans the importation of live pigs and pork products from areas with confirmed ASF cases, locally and internationally.
ASF is a highly contagious and deadly swine disease that can affect both farm-raised and feral (wild) pigs. It does not infect people, but it is readily passed from one pig to another by direct contact with bodily fluids from an infected pig.
If ASF enters the city, the local economy will be affected since Cebu is considered as one of the country’s largest live pigs and pork product suppliers. This may result in shortage of pork meat supplies, and increase in its prices.
“Once naa na gyud na (ASF) dinhi, number one, magmahal atoang live weight. Ang source sa atoang baboy ana possible magkagamay na, magkuha na ‘ta sa laing source ana. Imbis dinhi sa Cebu City, possible na didto na sa Negros, though nagakuha ta sa Negros sa litsonon. Litson lang, but naa man gud ta maka-sustain man gud sa atoang karne gyud dinhi sa baboy,” said Maribojoc.
Another measure the DVMF is implementing for the prevention of entry of ASF is the strict monitoring of the slaughterhouses in the city.
Maribojoc added that they assigned personnel to collect blood samples from hog farms in the city’s mountain barangays to ensure that the animals have not contracted the virus. —GMR (FREEMAN)