• THERESA MAE DULMAN
Ten pigs were reported dead in three barangays of Bacolod, but city administrator, Atty. Mark Steven Mayo, clarified June 26 that these are not yet confirmed as African swine fever (ASF) cases.
The death toll, as of press time, included seven pigs in Barangay Taculing, two in Barangay Alijis, and one in Barangay 35.
“I just want to emphasize that these are not confirmed ASF incidents; these are reports of pigs dying, (and) the city veterinarian will visit (these barangays) to gather samples, (that) will be tested for official confirmation,” Mayo stressed.
He said that City Veterinary Office personnel have been deployed to the affected areas to get samples that will be sent to the Department of Agriculture Regional Office 6 for testing to determine the exact cause of death.
The city’s ASF Task Force already convened to finalize the procurement of additional test kits to match their existing lab machinery, and is preparing the deployment of border control personnel across 13 entry points, including ports and boundaries in Bredco, Banago, Bata, Sum-ag, Felisa, Granada, and Mansilingan.
Mayo said that vendors are required to show their meat inspection certificate (MIC) to prove that their pork was processed at the city slaughterhouse.
He urged the city’s 109 backyard hog raisers to immediately report pigs that show signs of weakness or have died so the City Veterinary Office can swiftly collect samples and confirm the cause of death.
Mayo also warned against emergency slaughtering, and appealed to the public to avoid buying or selling pigs that are already sick or dead.
“We strongly appeal to the public not to engage in slaughtering pigs that are already dying or dead. If we discover an intent to cause harm or violate our regulations, we will act on it and ensure that (concerned) individuals are held accountable,” Mayo added. | TMD
