- MITCH M. LIPA
The provincial government of Negros Occidental, through the Provincial Veterinary Office, is distributing 192 heads of breeder piglet and 77 gilt pigs for districts V and VI, as part of its Provincial Animal Genetic Improvement Program (PAGIP).
With the present new normal situation prompted by the COVID-19 pandemic and the current battle against the rising cases of African Swine Fever (ASF) that affected Luzon and the nearby provinces, it is incumbent that the provincial government extends continuous support in terms of hog production inputs which are identified as areas of greater importance to keep the industry and local stakeholders survive.
The program aims to add to the breeder stock to be distributed for breeding and production, the PVO said. For this year, 205 breeder piglets and 502 gilts, all worth P8 million, will be distributed in Negros Occidental.
The program also centers on local hog production to meet demands from other provinces and to ensure enough local supply, considering that the province is the top producer of pigs in Western Visayas and fourth in the Philippines.
Hog farming in the province is also a booming six-million-peso industry and is the main source of livelihood of most rural backyard raisers, especially during the pandemic.
The PVO record also showed that Bago City has the highest swine population, followed by Kabankalan City, San Carlos City, Cadiz City, Sagay City, Cauayan, Murcia, Victorias City, Himamaylan City, and Isabela.
The turnover of breeder piglets and gilts was graced by Governor Eugenio Jose Lacson, PVO head, Dr. Renante Decena, board members, PVO district field veterinarians and personnel, and officials of Hinigaran, Kabankalan, Binalbagan, La Castellana, Himamaylan, Isabela, Moises Padilla, Ilog, Cauayan, Sipalay City, Candoni and Hinoba-an. — MML
