Capitol tightens monitoring against African swine fever

THE Cebu Provincial Government has doubled its efforts in not allowing the entry of pork products or live hogs from areas afflicted with African swine fever (ASF) by monitoring seaports and inspecting cargoes.

Provincial Veterinary Office head Mary Rose Vincoy said the trucks ferried into Cebu and outside the province are thoroughly checked.

The cargo trucks coming from provinces with ASF cases are disinfected as part of the preventive measures.

Vincoy said meat shops are also regularly monitored.

The Department of Agriculture 7 has warned local government units to be vigilant as the ASF outbreak is nearing Central Visayas.

As of Monday, May 24, 2021, Cebu remained free from ASF, according to Vincoy.

Cebu Gov. Gwendolyn Garcia issued on Jan. 29, 2021 Executive Order No. 8 ordering a ban on exporting live hogs from big farms and backyard raisers for six months, so the province could sustain its pork supply and protect Cebu’s P11 billion hog industry.

For these reasons, the Provincial Government implemented more measures to ensure the safety of Cebu’s hog industry: disinfecting all cargo trucks coming inside Cebu Province, enforcing a seven-day downtime to clean up the trucks and instructing truck operators to download WeTrace app to allow the Capitol in monitoring truck destinations, especially the trucks that carry livestock, pass through Cebu and deliver the livestock, including hogs, to provinces outside Cebu.

Garcia’s executive order is set to expire in July, but Vincoy said there is a possibility that it will either be extended or lifted, depending on the assessment of the veterinary offices.

Vincoy also asked Cebuanos to help the Provincial Government in preventing an ASF outbreak by reporting to their local veterinary offices if they notice something is wrong with their hogs. (ANV)