BACOLOD City – The threat of the dreaded African swine fever (ASF) hasn’t gone away, Gov. Eugenio Jose Lacson of Negros Occidental said.
Lacson’s remark came after the Provincial ASF Task Force in Negros Occidental seized 56 cans of processed pork products that passed through the Bacolod-Silay Airport in the past days.
“Some of the prohibited pork products that are not supposed to come in are being passed through local the couriers,” the governor noted. The seized products were brought from the United States as pasalubong but were transshipped in Luzon, Lacson said.
The seized luncheon meat and sausages were disposed of in the vicinity of the Philippine National Police Aviation Security Station on Sunday, with the consent of the owner.
The provincial ordinance prohibits all pork and pork products coming from Luzon and other ASF-affected areas from entering the province.
Violators may face penalties ranging from P1,000 to P5,000 and imprisonment of one year, depending on the gravity of the offense.
Last month, Lacson and Vice Gov. Jeffrey Ferrer signed Provincial Ordinance 2019-024, otherwise known as “The ASF Prevention Ordinance of Negros Occidental”, to keep the province ASF-free.
Negros Occidental, the number one backyard hog producer in the Philippines, has a P6-billion swine industry./PN
