• GILBERT P. BAYORAN
Negros Occidental Governor Eugenio Jose Lacson issued an executive order (EO) on Monday (Feb. 26), imposing a total ban on the entry of all live pigs, boar semen, pork, pork products and its related food items into the province, especially from African swine fever (ASF) red zones.
Highly-urbanized Bacolod City has been tagged by the Department of Agriculture (DA) as an ASF red (infected) zone while Negros Occidental is a dark green (free) zone, where ASF is not detected and considered of low risk following the risk criteria.
The city government of Bacolod has lifted the ban on the entry of live pigs, pork, and related products in a bid to address the growing clamor over lack of supply.
Last week, the province of Negros Occidental and Bacolod City jointly issued EO No. 1, series of 2024, setting aside Joint EO No.1, series of 2023, “establishing the guidelines for the entry of all live pigs, boar semen, pork, pork products and other related food items from areas with reported cases of ASF.”
“In view of the different classifications of Negros Occidental and Bacolod City, and upon the recommendation of the DA, there is a need to set aside Joint EO No. 1, Series of 2023, in order for the two local government units to issue their respective guidelines,” the new joint EO stated.
It was followed by the issuance of EO No. 9 by Mayor Alfredo Abelardo Benitez on Feb. 23, ordering the City Veterinary Office “to allow the movement of pork and other swine products in the city pursuant to the provisions of DA Administrative Circular No. 22, series of 2022.”
In EO No. 24-07, series of 2024, Lacson said he ordered a total ban on the entry of all live pigs, boar semen, pork and its related products and items from Bacolod City, Negros Oriental, Luzon, Mindanao, Eastern Visayas, Panay Island, Guimaras Island, Cebu Province, Camotes Island and Bantayan Island and other countries affected by ASF, as may be declared by the DA.
He added that majority of the cities and municipalities in Negros Occidental are classified as pink to light green zones, and are now ready for hog repopulation and implementation of biosecurity measures to prevent the recurrence of transboundary swine diseases.
Lacson admitted that enforcing the new guidelines may be “a little difficult,” noting that the provincial anti-ASF task force personnel assigned to guard the Bredco and Banago ports in Bacolod City will be removed.
The provincial government will find a way to ensure that the pork being delivered in Bacolod City will remain in the highly-urbanized city, he added.
Lacson said that the entry of pork and live pigs in other ports, such as in the cities of Cadiz, Sagay, San Carlos, Escalante as well as in the municipalities of E.B. Magalona and Pulupandan, will remain banned.
As stipulated in the directive issued by Lacson, exemptions to the ban are processed pork products that are fully cooked such as ham, sausages, hotdogs, canned goods, pork chicharon, pork-based seasonings and the like, provided they are sourced from meat establishment with certificate of compliance from the ASF public-private audit.
For transshipment and/or transfer of imported pork and pork products, provided that the country of origin is ASF free and in case of transfer, the pork items must come from a cold storage exclusive for imported meat, the EO further stated. | GB
