• GILBERT P. BAYORAN
Eleven local government units in Negros Island Region have been classified as “pink zones” by the Department of Agriculture (DA) National African Swine Fever (ASF) Prevention and Control Program.
These are the cities of Kabankalan, San Carlos, Silay and Victorias, municipalities of Hinigaran, La Castellana, Pulupandan and Valladolid in Negros Occidental as well as Bais City, Ayungon and Vallehermoso towns in Negros Oriental.
Sagay City in Negros Occidental is the only LGU in the NIR that is in the yellow zone, it added.
The DA said that pink zones are near ASF infected areas, yellow zones are deemed high risk areas, light green zones have no cases but are near yellow zones, and dark green zones are ASF-free.
Provincial Veterinarian Placeda Lemana said that Escalante City is still in the process to be reclassified as pink zone.
Lemana noted that Negros Occidental does not follow the ASF zoning of the DA as they allow farmers to do their sentineling if they comply with the biosecurity measures set by the Provincial Veterinary Office. | GB
