• GILBERT P. BAYORAN
Negros Occidental Governor Eugenio Jose Lacson on Monday (March 4) called on local chief executives to establish African swine fever (ASF) checkpoints, especially those with borders along local government units (LGUs) classified by the Department of Agriculture as red zone or infected.
Bago City, which borders Bacolod City in the south, is already conducting boundary inspection.
“We will constantly remind the LGUs that they are still under the guidance of the province,” Lacson said.
Bacolod City earlier opened its borders to the entry of live hogs, pork and related products, contrary to the stand of the provincial government of Negros Occidental.
Lacson said that the province is ready to augment limited manpower at border checkpoints, if there is a request from the concerned LGUs.
The entry of live pigs, pork and related products from Bacolod City, Negros Oriental, Panay and Guimaras, Cebu province, Eastern Visayas, Luzon and Mindanao, which have confirmed ASF cases, are prohibited in all 31 LGUs in Negros Occidental, based on the executive order issued by Lacson.
“We are supposed to be watching our borders,” the governor said, citing the setting up of border checkpoints also in cities of San Carlos and Kabankalan as well as Hinobaan town.
Lacson said he will sit down with the concerned local chief executives to discuss that the provincial government is “trying to save the hog industry in their areas”. | GB
