ILOILO – Gov. Arthur Jr. ordered all local government units (LGUs) in the province including barangays to activate their respective local African Swine Fever (ASF) task force (LATF).
The governor’s memorandum came after a reported confirmed case of ASF in Oton town.
Under the memorandum, the governor reiterated to all city and municipal mayors, punong barangays, city / municipal / barangay ASF taskforces the previous directives on ASF quarantine procedures and disease prevention and control measures.
All LGUs must activate their local ASF taskforces and ensure the performance of the following functions and measures pursuant to Defensor’s Executive Order No. 107-2019 and Department of Agriculture’s (DA) Administrative Order No. 43-2020 (DA-AO 43-2020):
* conduct ASF surveillance operations in their respective jurisdictions; and
* ensure the reporting of the swine raisers/producers and all stakeholders in the industry of suspected and probable ASF cases to the LATF.
The governor earlier said that rapid testing on hogs will be conducted if necessary.
“Through the barangay local taskforce, kon may nagamalasakit dira nga mga baboy, ma-rapid test,” Defensor said.
Also, LGUs and LATFs must ensure movement of live pigs, pork, pork products, and genetic materials within Iloilo province shall not be hampered as long as DA protocols are followed.
Pursuant to DA Administrative Circular No. 02- 2022 (DA-AC 02-2022), commercial farms located in the quarantine area – area up to one kilometer radius from the infected premises (IP), that intend to move their live pigs for slaughter must demonstrate evidence of ASF surveillance for the past three months prior to its inclusion in the quarantine area.
Backyard farms in the quarantine area that intend to move their live pigs can move to the Locally Registered Meat Establishment (LRME) within their city or municipality, provided that a Veterinary Health Certificate (VHC) has been issued by the LGU veterinary authorities; the slaughtered pork must be moved within their city or municipality only.
Defensor further cited that the movement of live pigs, pork and pork products out of Iloilo province shall be governed by DA-AO 43-2020 and other regulations of the DA, as well as the ordinances of LGUs outside Iloilo province.
Moreover, all swine raisers and/or producers and stakeholders in the industry are enjoined to report suspected and probable ASF cases to their LATF.
It can be noted that several provinces, cities and municipalities which include Cebu, Negros Occidental, Aklan, Capiz, Guimaras, and lloilo City have implemented border control against the entry of live hogs, pork products and by-products especially coming from Iloilo province or from Oton town in particular.
Meanwhile, while Iloilo province is still waiting for the official announcement from the DA regarding ASF, it is already executing quarantine procedures, prevention and control measure efforts.
“May mga additional kita nga executions kag advisories kon may announcement na ang Department of Agriculture kay para ma-abisuhan naton ang aton mga pumoluyo sa movement sang baboy kon maggwa na ang ila announcement. It does not mean nga kon may nag-positive diri sa Iloilo, indi na maghulag ang baboy. Indi na s’ya amo sina kay may protocols ang Department of Agriculture nga ginasunod,” the governor added./PN
