Antique: The Philippine Crop Insurance Corporation (PCIC) has encouraged swine growers here to avail of free insurance even if Antique is still without African swine fever (ASF) cases. PCIC Antique head Clogene Galuego said in an interview on Friday that hog raisers could apply at municipal agriculture offices. He warned that they could no longer enlist new applicants for insurance once there is a confirmed ASF case in the province. ASF cases have been reported in Capiz and Iloilo.
According to Philippines News Agency, farmers who could avail of the free insurance, however, have to be registered with the Registry System for the Basic Sectors in Agriculture. PCIC offers a free insurance coverage of PHP10,000 per head for fatteners and PHP14,500 per head for breeders. To date, a total of 1,898 livestock, mostly swine, have been insured with PCIC-Antique.
Provincial Veterinary (ProVet) Office Public Health Division chief Dr. Marco Rafael Ardamil said heightened border control in the northern and southern parts of the province is being implemented. 'Swine raisers in Antique are being advised, in coordination with the ProVet, to secure the Recognition of Actual Surveillance on ASF from the Bureau of Animal Industry to transport to Aklan province,' Ardamil said. Swine raisers or traders from Iloilo are advised to disinfect their cargo trucks before entering Antique.
