BY DOMINIQUE GABRIEL G. BAÑAGA
BACOLOD City – The sale of lechon or “roast pig” remained unaffected despite the city reporting its first African swine fever (ASF) cases last week.
Bobby Badayos, head of an association of lechon sellers in Bacolod City, said sales of the popular dish remained normal as of Monday morning.
He assured consumers that their lechon is safe for consumption; they are getting their hogs from Isabela town, Negros Occidental.
Some lechon proprietors, meanwhile, are getting their hog supplies from Don Salvador Benedicto town.
Badayos said the only issue is the hike in the price of live hogs due to the hike in hog feeds and not due to ASF or hog cholera, which has also become prevalent in Negros Occidental province.
“Ang pagkuha namon supply outside Bacolod ni, ang source namun is Isabela kag Magallon [Moises Padilla], so far daw waay man kami balita nga naging hot spot sila for ASF or hog cholera,” Badayos pointed out.
In response to the first reported case, Badayos told association members to immediately report if they encounter problems with the hogs they are raising.
Badayos said the Provincial Veterinary Office (PVO) was not negligent in its duties, adding that they encounter as many as four to five checkpoints when transporting hogs from central Negros to Bacolod City.
He further said the PVO and the City Veterinary Office are coordinating with them, and all of their members are complying with regulations.
The provincial government of Negros Occidental classified Bacolod City as an ASF “red zone” over the weekend.
Bago City, Talisay City, and the town of Murcia, meanwhile, were tagged as “pink buffer zones” while Pulupandan, Valladolid, La Carlota City, Don Salvador Benedicto, Silay City, and E.B. Magalona were tagged as “yellow surveillance zones.”
The rest of the province, meanwhile, remains ASF-free./PN
