• GILBERT P. BAYORAN
The Department of Agriculture in Western Visayas is eyeing Victorias City as the pilot area in Negros Occidental for its sentineling program, Engr. Albert Barrogo, OIC regional executive director, disclosed yesterday.
Barrogo met yesterday with Mayor Javier Miguel Benitez and Dr. John Michael Cabuguason to discuss the repopulation of hogs in Victorias City, where African Swine Fever (ASF) cases had been detected.
He noted that Victorias City has not recorded any more ASF cases after it logged seven ASF cases in two barangays on June 5.
An area is qualified for the DA’s sentineling program if it has not recorded an ASF case for 45 days, Barrogo said.
After 45 days, the DA will put three pigs in the area to be observed for three months.
If the results are okay, Barrogo said the DA will declare it ASF- free and start the repopulation program.
The DA sentineling program is only for areas that have confirmed ASF cases and not those with hog cholera.*
