BACOLOD City — The Bacolod City Government has intensified its African Swine Fever (ASF) prevention measures after 10 pigs died in separate barangays over the past two days, prompting authorities to collect samples for laboratory testing while strengthening border controls and biosecurity protocols to prevent the disease from entering the city.
City Administrator Atty. Mark Steven Mayo said the City Veterinary Office (CVO) has collected samples from the dead pigs and submitted them to the Department of Agriculture (DA)-Western Visayas for confirmatory testing.
“We cannot yet confirm if these pig deaths are related to African Swine Fever,” Mayo said.
He added that the DA has yet to indicate when the results will be released.
Records from the CVO showed that two pigs in Barangay Alijis died on June 25, while seven pigs in Barangay Taculing and one pig in Barangay 35 died on June 26, bringing the total number of reported pig deaths to 10.
The collected samples have been sent to a regional laboratory to determine whether the animals tested positive for ASF.
The CVO also reported that Bacolod has 109 registered backyard hog raisers whose livestock are under close monitoring as part of the city’s disease surveillance program.
Mayo reminded meat vendors to secure a Meat Inspection Certificate (MIC) to ensure that pork sold in public markets comes from the city’s accredited slaughterhouse.
While awaiting the laboratory findings, the city government has intensified preventive measures following confirmed ASF cases in several neighboring localities in southern Negros Occidental.
During a meeting of the Bacolod City ASF Task Force on June 25, Mayor Greg Gasataya directed concerned agencies to strengthen biosecurity protocols and border control operations to prevent the entry and possible spread of ASF into the city.
Although Bacolod remains free of confirmed cases, Gasataya said heightened vigilance is necessary due to the presence of ASF in nearby areas.
The mayor is set to issue an executive order reinforcing border control measures, including stricter inspections at 13 identified entry points, including seaports, where authorities will closely monitor incoming livestock, pork, and pork products.
The order will also prohibit the entry of pork and pork products originating from ASF-affected areas without the required permits, veterinary health certificates, and other government-issued clearances.
“We have identified 13 possible entry points for livestock and pork products. We will strictly prohibit the entry of pork and pork products that do not have the necessary permits from concerned government agencies,” Gasataya said.
Authorities are likewise stepping up operations against the sale of “hot meat,” or meat from animals slaughtered outside accredited facilities, as well as pork products that lack the required inspection and transport documents.
The city’s ASF prevention campaign is being carried out through the combined efforts of the City Veterinary Office, City Health Office, City Legal Office, Bacolod City Police Office, Bacolod Traffic and Transportation Management Department, Philippine Coast Guard, PNP Maritime Group, Civil Aviation Authority of the Philippines, Food and Drug Administration, and the National Meat Inspection Service.
Across Negros Occidental, local government units have likewise intensified biosecurity measures following the deaths of 1,213 hogs between May 20 and June 22, with estimated losses reaching P14.46 million.
Provincial Administrator Rayfrando Diaz II said the reported deaths represent about 4.06 percent of the province’s total hog population of 29,880.
Gov. Eugenio Jose Lacson earlier confirmed the presence of ASF in Negros Occidental but said local chief executives in affected areas are still validating reports of hog mortalities. Provincial authorities have yet to determine how many of the reported deaths were directly caused by the disease.
Lacson has urged all local government units to strictly enforce biosecurity protocols to contain the spread of ASF and protect the province’s swine industry from further losses.
While laboratory results on the reported pig deaths remain pending, Bacolod City officials continue to urge hog raisers, meat traders, and the public to strictly comply with ASF prevention measures to help keep the city free from the disease./PN
