ILOILO City – Authorities have destroyed canned and processed meat products confiscated from inbound passengers at two international airports in Panay. The products were from countries where there is an outbreak of the African swine flu.
Dr. John Rhoel Hilario, regional veterinary quarantine officer, confirmed that 244 pieces of canned pork meat along with other raw and processed confiscated meat products were buried in a dumpsite in Cabatuan, Iloilo last Tuesday.
The products were confiscated from passengers mostly coming from Hong Kong.
“Hong Kong, as you know, is one of the areas experiencing an outbreak of the African swine flu,” Hilario said on Friday.
The African swine flu is a highly contagious hemorrhagic viral disease of domestic and wild pigs, which is responsible for serious economic and production losses.
The confiscated goods did not only come from arriving overseas Filipino workers but from visiting foreigners, too.
In Aklan, some 118.45 kilograms of meat and meat products confiscated from passengers arriving at the Kalibo International Airport were disposed of last Thursday.
The products – seized in the entire month of May – were burned and buried, facilitated by the Veterinary Quarantine-Kalibo International Airport Station, Office of the Aklan Provincial Veterinarian, Kalibo local government unit, and Bureau of Customs.
Hilario added that in addition to strict monitoring being done in airports, they also monitor ports.
“We are also doing domestic monitoring. More than outgoing, we are very particular with the incoming because these are the real risk for our local animal industry. We are very strict when it comes to incoming products,” he said. (With a report from PNA/PN)
