• GILBERT P. BAYORAN
Bacolod City logged two positive cases of African swine fever (ASF) yesterday after being free from the highly contagious hog disease more than three years since its outbreak was reported in the country.
Mayor Alfredo Abelardo Benitez confirmed the development, following the release of results from the tested blood samples of hogs from a backyard piggery in Barangay Taculing. “We will intensify testing,” he said.
Benitez said the hogs came from Bago City, just south of Bacolod.
Bago is part of the province’s Fourth District, which has the most number of swine deaths mainly due to hog cholera in the past weeks. The mayor added that he ordered the culling of pigs within the 500-meter radius of the place where the pigs died.
The two pigs that tested positive for ASF died and were buried six-foot deep immediately.
On Friday afternoon, Regional Executive Director Jose Albert Barrogo, officer-in-charge of the Department of Agriculture-Western Visayas (DA-6), also confirmed the ASF cases in this city.
“What was announced by Mayor Albee was based on the laboratory test we conducted – the result was positive. But the result will still be confirmed by the Bureau of Animal Industry in Manila. The confirmation will be still be on Monday,” he said.
Barrogo said he advised Benitez to activate the local task force and develop a containment plan to prevent the spread of the disease and a recovery plan for the affected hog raisers.
Bacolod recorded the first ASF cases in Negros Occidental, considered a dark green zone by the Department of Agriculture for being ASF-free.
Also on Friday afternoon, Benitez joined Governor Eugenio Jose Lacson for a joint animal biosecurity meeting of the province’s Incident Management Team (IMT) at the Command Center.
On Monday night, Negros Occidental banned the entry of all live pigs and pork products from neighboring Negros Oriental, which reported its first swine deaths due to ASF last week.
ASF IN SIBULAN
The African Swine Fever (ASF) virus has also spread to another town in Negros Oriental.
In his issued executive order dated May 25, Mayor Jose Abiera ordered the temporary ban of entry and exit of hogs, including fresh and frozen pork products, and the suspension of swine related activities in Sibulan, and directed the local ASF task force to conduct the immediate culling of pigs in Purok Apitong, Brgy. Tubtubon, the western portion of Brgy. Molocboloc, as well as southern portion of Brgy. Magatas, within a 500-meter radius, to prevent the spread of ASF virus.
Abiera said the swine deaths in Purok Apitong, Brgy. Tubtubon, Sibulan, was triggered by the ASF virus, based on laboratory examination by the Agriculture Department’s Bureau of Animal Industry (BAI).
BAI had also confirmed earlier that hog deaths in Dauin, Negros Oriental, were triggered by the ASF virus.
HOG CHOLERA DEATHS
Negros Occidental is presently combating the spread of hog cholera, which has already affected 5.5 percent of its swine population, as reported yesterday by Gov. Eugenio Jose Lacson.
Hog deaths increased to 5,968 as of Thursday, with estimated damage to the Negros Occidental swine industry pegged at P71.3 million, affecting 1,220 hog raisers in 110 barangays of 14 local government units.
Provincial Social Welfare and Development Office acting head Maria Gerla Espinosa Dario disclosed that they are now discussing and finalizing the plans with the Office of the Provincial Agriculture, Provincial Veterinarian Office, and Provincial Administrator Atty. Rayfrando Diaz, to extend financial assistance of between P2,000 to P5,000 each to affected hog raisers and caretakers.
Gov. Eugenio Jose Lacson, however said that the extended financial assistance may be on a limited scale.
Lacson said the first line of defense against the spread of cholera and other hog diseases, is now between LGUs, and between barangays of towns or cities.
It’s unfortunate, we are losing more heads on a daily basis. But we are trying our best to control it, he added.
Dario said that she will also ask for additional assistance from the DSWD regional office, under its convergence program, noting that livelihood assistance to hog raisers was also given out in other provinces.
San Enrique in Negros Occidental continues to top of the list of LGUs with recorded hog deaths at 2,692, of which 434 died on Thursday.
Because it is happening every day, there is a tendency that the figure will continue to rise, Lacson said.
Asked if he will declare an outbreak of hog cholera, he replied “Let’s see how the trend will be in the coming days,” as he stressed that Negros Occidental remains ASF free.
The Sangguniang Bayan of San Enrique has passed a resolution declaring a state of calamity.
Aside from San Enrique, other affected areas include Manapla, Cadiz City, Silay City, EB Magalona, Talisay, Murcia, Valladolid, Pulupandan, Pontevedra, Bago City, La Carlota City, Hinigaran and Binalbagan.* with PNA report
