- GILBERT BAYORAN
The city government of Victorias in Negros Occidental put up two quarantine stations to further boost the campaign of the provincial government and highly-urbanized Bacolod City, to protect the province’s P6-billion hog industry from the African Swine Fever that has been detected in five towns of Iloilo province.
In a statement, the Victorias City Veterinary Office said that the two quarantine stations, located in barangays 6A and 9, are being manned by the local ASF task force, augmented by personnel from the Philippine Coast Guard and the Bantay Dagat.
“The stations serve as checkpoints for all inbound fishing vessels in preventing live pigs, pork, and its by-products from entering all ports of entry in Victorias City,” the statement said.
Quarantine stations were also established in other ports of entry across the province, including in Bacolod, and serve as checkpoints to intercept and control the movement of live animals, pork, pork products, and other related items into Negros Occidental.
In October, Governor Eugenio Jose Lacson ordered the Provincial ASF Task Force members to conduct stringent screening and inspection of incoming shipments of live animals and pork products from the provinces of Iloilo, Capiz, Antique, Aklan, and Guimaras.
He also ordered the confiscation of undocumented shipment of live animals and products into the province.
In a separate memorandum, the governor informed all local chief executives in the province about the ban, and directed them to ensure the implementation of preventive and safeguard measures embodied in the ASF Prevention Ordinance of Negros Occidental.
Negros Occidental remains ASF-free, as of this time, the Provincial Veterinary Office said./GB
