• GILBERT P. BAYORAN
Border checkpoints will be established in Bago City to curb the spread of African Swine Fever (ASF), Mayor Nicholas Yulo said Friday.
He said the checkpoints will be set up March 4 in Brgys. Taloc and Tabunan, both areas bordering Bacolod City, which recently opened its borders to the entry of hogs and pork- related products.
Based on the classification of the Department of Agriculture, Bacolod has been identified as an ASF red zone.
Setting up checkpoints is in compliance with the executive order of Gov. Eugenio Jose Lacson which mandates the banning of entry of pork and pork products from Bacolod City, Negros Oriental, islands of Panay, Bantayan, Camotes, Guimaras, Cebu province, Luzon, Mindanao, Eastern Visayas, and countries affected by ASF, Yulo said.
He added that the checkpoints will be manned by city government employees on a daily basis.
Murcia and Talisay City, which also have borders with Bacolod, are yet to announce if both areas will establish ASF checkpoints.
Yulo said that personnel manning the checkpoints are mandated to flag down vehicles that have live hogs and pork products in plain view.
However, he said that Bago can accept pork and its by-products from areas that are free from ASF or those classified as “green areas”.
Bago City was among the local government units hit by hog cholera in central Negros. | GB
