Manila: The city government has intensified monitoring to determine the actual cause of swine deaths in seven of its villages from May to the present. This came after Mayor Khymer Olaso ordered the Office of the City Veterinarian (OCVet) and the Office of the City Agriculture (OCA) to deploy personnel to the villages where a large number of swine deaths have been reported. The identified villages included San Roque, Tumaga, Culianan, Manicahan, Curuan, Vitali, and Capisan.

According to Philippines News Agency, Dr. Arcadio Cavan Jr., OCVet chief, reported to Olaso that some of the swine died from African swine fever (ASF), while others died from a viral disease that is yet to be determined. Most, if not all, of those affected are backyard swine raisers.

Leo Jay Atilano, Capisan barangay councilor, said four of the swine his uncle was raising died due to an unknown illness. Atilano said the swine suddenly became weak and died due to a loss of appetite with a visible hematoma.

Meanwhile, Olaso ordered the tightening of border controls to prevent the entry of livestock from ASF red zones in the region and other parts of Mindanao. Aside from livestock, he directed the blocking of the entry of poultry infected with bird flu from towns in Zamboanga Sibugay. The border control checkpoints are established in Barangay Licomo, the last barangay in the east coast boundary with Zamboanga Sibugay province, and Limpapa in the west coast boundary with Zamboanga del Norte province.

Zamboanga City has 98 barangays grouped into six agricultural and veterinary districts.