• CHERYL G. CRUZ
The highly-urbanized Bacolod City and San Enrique in Negros Occidental successfully upgraded to the pink category, from red, or areas affected by the African swine fever (ASF), the Bureau of Animal Industry (BAI) said May 7.
This means that all cities and towns of the province, including Bacolod, are now out of the ASF red or infected zone, the BAI said in its latest zoning status, as of May 5.
Aside from Bacolod and San Enrique, others in the pink, or buffer zone, are Binalbagan, Cadiz, Calatrava, Don Salvador Benedicto, E.B. Magalona, Escalante, Hinigaran, Ilog, Isabela, Kabankalan, La Carlota, La Castellana, Manapla, Moises Padilla, Murcia, Pontevedra, Pulupandan, San Carlos, Silay City, Talisay, Toboso, Valladolid, and Victorias.
Sipalay remains as the lone area under the protected zone (light green), while Bago, Candoni, Cauayan, Himamaylan, Hinoba-an, and Sagay are in the surveillance zone (yellow).
In Negros Oriental, its capital Dumaguete City, as well as Amlan, Bacong, Basay, Bayawan, Bindoy, Dauin, Pamplona, Siaton, Sibulan, Tanjay, and Zamboanguita are still threatened by the contagious swine disease.
Only Jimalalud and La Libertad are in the yellow zone, and the rest under the pink category.
Areas under the yellow zone are those where ASF has not been detected but are next to the pink zone, while the latter’s category means that ASF is not present among pigs but these areas are next to an infected zone, the BAI had explained.
The whole island of Siquijor is ASF-free. | CGC
