ROXAS City – To protect its hog industry against the threat of African swine fever (ASF), the provincial government of Capiz created a task force to enforce tight detection and biosecurity measures.
Gov. Esteban Evan Contreras issued Executive Order (EO) No. 008, series of 2019 creating the Capiz Provincial African Swine Fever Task Force (CPASFTF).
Contreras’ EO spells out the composition and functions of the task force and related measures that will fully implement and enforce control measures to prevent entry and spread of ASF in the province.
Under the directive, the governor shall head the CPASFTF, with the provincial veterinarian as the executive officer.
The members of the task force include the top officials of the Philippine National Police, Philippine Coast Guard, Traffic Management Group, Aviation Security Command, Maritime Command, Land Transportation Office, Department of the Interior and Local Government, Bureau of Fire Protection, Philippine Ports Authority, and Philippine Information Agency.
Other members of the group are the Provincial Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Office, Capiz Emergency Response Team, Provincial Engineer and Staff, Provincial Agriculturist, city and municipal mayors, city veterinarian, municipal agriculturists, veterinarians of Capiz State University, barangay captains and officials, and stakeholders.
The functions to be done in infected zones include the movement control and manning of entry or exit points for possible illegal transport; mandatory test and slaughter of all pigs; farm shutdown, quarantine and isolation; slaughter of infected pigs in infected premises; destruction and disposal of infected carcasses and materials; and decontamination and disinfection.
The surveillance and movement control will be enforced in the quarantine zone, while movement control such as surveillance and infected zones only, will be done for the surveillance zone.
Recently, there were confiscated pork products from China at the Kalibo International Airport by the Regional Veterinary Quarantine Services. These products tested positive of ASF.
Noting the proximity of Aklan to Capiz, the recent confiscation of ASF-infected pork products for consumption posed a major threat to the local swine industry here, hence the need to prevent the entry and spread of ASF virus in the province. (With a report from PIA/PN)