The Negros Occidental provincial government and the city government here are drawing up their respective list of hog raisers who will receive cash assistance due to losses brought by hog cholera and African swine fever (ASF). Provincial Administrator Rayfrando Diaz II said Tuesday that Governor Eugenio Jose Lacson has already approved the release of PHP2,000 for each family with reported swine deaths based on the recommendation of the Provincial Veterinary Office (PVO). 'As soon as the recommended beneficiaries are submitted to the governor's approval, we will move without further delay. We will provide assistance on top of what they will receive from the local government units (LGUs),' he told reporters. Diaz said the province has allotted PHP10 million that would be divided among the beneficiaries and plans to provide alternative sources of livelihood, such as chicken breeding. 'The procedure on how to claim and who will be the priority will be discussed by the Incident Management Team for orderly and fair distribution of assistance,' he added. In Negros Occidental, four localities have confirmed cases - Pulupandan, Victorias City, and Silay City, as well as this provincial capital. Mayor Alfredo Abelardo Benitez here advised hog raisers to register with their respective barangays to avail of cash indemnification due to losses brought by cases of ASF. 'Last we discussed is how to compensate the affected backyard raisers. That's what the barangay captains are doing now (registration). Before they are given a compensation, they should be registered with the barangays,' he said. Last week, the city government allotted PHP10 million for cash indemnification. Benitez also said part of the city government's plan is to register residents involved in the backyard animal industry for monitoring and regulation. In Bacolod, ASF cases have been detected in barangays Taculing and Tangub. Meanwhile, data from the PVO as of Monday afternoon showed 17 out of the 31 LGUs in Negros Occidental have reported swine deaths mainly due to hog cholera. More than 12,000 pigs have died, resulting in about PHP139 million in total losses.
Source: Philippines News Agency