BY ADRIAN P. NEMES III
A three-day information caravan to raise the awareness of Negrenses about the African swine fever started yesterday in Negros Occidental.
The caravan is led by the Negros Occidental Hog Raisers Association, Western Visayas Feedmillers, Iloilo-Bacolod Association of Veterinary Sales Representatives, and backyard swine raisers, and being conducted in cooperation with the Bureau of Animal Industry, the National Meat Inspection Service, and the Negros Occidental Provincial Veterinary Office, headed by Dr. Renante Decena.
Ma. Fe Sy, IBAVS president, said in a letter to Governor Eugenio Jose Lacson that the purpose of the caravan is to correct misconceptions on the ASF impact on humans.
Sy said the caravan aims to counter the effects of ASF to the local livestock economy, adding that they want to encourage people to patronize locally-produced pork products.
She said they discourage the public from buying pork products from ASF-affected areas as this poses a big threat with the possible spread of the disease in Negros Occidental.
Sy also said that part of the caravan includes the posting of materials in areas frequented by people, such as markets, terminals, sea and airports, and the borders of Negros Occidental and Oriental.
DONATION
In its thrust to aid the campaign of the provincial government of Negros Occidental to protect its hog industry, IBAVS donated about P100,000 in equipment to the province’s ASF Task Force, including two power sprayers, five gallons of disinfectant, and 25 vests, Decena said.
Lacson thanked IBAVS for its support to the advocacies of the province, adding that ASF continues to be a threat to the swine industry, a Capitol press release said. A PVO report showed that last year, 32.65 metric tons of assorted pork products, worth about P5.57 million, were apprehended by the ASF team in ports, airport, and check points in Negros Occidental and Bacolod City.*
