Bacolod city: This highly urbanized city has logged at least 10 hog deaths amid reports of African swine fever (ASF) resurgence in Negros Occidental that prompted tightened border control measures here and the adjacent local government units (LGUs).
According to Philippines News Agency, City Administrator Mark Steven Mayo told reporters on Friday that the hog deaths were based on the report of the City Veterinary Office (CVO) as of June 25. Seven hog deaths were reported in Barangay Taculing, two in Barangay Alijis, and one in Barangay 35. However, blood samples will still be submitted for a confirmatory test to the Department of Agriculture-Western Visayas' Regional Animal Disease Diagnostic Laboratory to determine the cause of the swine deaths, he added.
In 2023, more than 800 hog raisers reported swine deaths due to ASF, which has almost wiped out the backyard swine population in Bacolod. On Thursday, Mayor Greg Gasataya convened the Bacolod City ASF Task Force to enforce stricter measures to curb the transmission of the swine disease. He directed the conduct of animal disease surveillance in 13 areas and the enforcement of border control operations. Gasataya also pushed for a ban on the entry of imported pork and pork-related products to protect hog raisers, vendors, transporters, and consumers.
Coordination with the concerned agencies will also be strengthened to strictly monitor hot meat or pork, and pork-related products without proper documents from the slaughterhouse and other requirements, he added. On June 23, Mayor Rowena Lizares of the adjacent Talisay City released a directive prohibiting the movement of hogs and pork from outside the city's jurisdiction, except for hogs originating from commercial farms compliant with provincial or national biosecurity standards and duly issued movement permits.
Starting at noon on Friday, the neighboring Murcia town set up checkpoints to restrict the entry of pork meat and live pigs from other localities. In Negros Occidental, San Enrique town in the south is the worst-hit by ASF, losing at least 500 heads of hogs, based on the initial report earlier this week.
