JORDAN, Guimaras – To prevent the entry of African swine fever (ASF) to Guimaras, inspection teams will be screening anything and anyone passing through the island province’s wharves here and in the town of Buenavista.
“I-check nila ang tanan nga nagasulod kon bala may dala meat products halin sa areas nga apektado sang ASF,” according to Ronnie Morante, Provincial Agriculture Office (PAO) chief.
ASF is a severe viral disease affecting domestic and wild pigs. It could result to serious hog production and economic losses.
The inspection teams will be made up of around five personnel from the PAO and Provincial Veterinary Service Office.
Deployment begins this week.
Gov. Samuel Gumarin last week ordered the Provincial Veterinary Service Office “to intensely strengthen the quarantine procedures in every port of entry of Guimaras, conduct monitoring and assessment, provide eventual feedback, and report to the undersigned.”
Morante said Guimaras’ hog and livestock industries must be protected from ASF currently ravaging Luzon and Mindanao because these are sources of Guimarasnon’s income.
ASF is a trans-boundary animal disease that can be spread by live or dead pigs, domestic or wild, and pork products.
Transmission can also occur via contaminated feed and fomites (non-living objects) such as shoes, clothes, vehicles, knives, equipment etc., due to the high environmental resistance of ASF virus.
On Feb. Gumarin issued Memorandum Order No. 06 Series of 2021 reiterating Executive Order No. 21, Series of 2020 enforcing “strict veterinary quarantine procedures and food safety measures on swine, pork products and byproducts and declaring a temporary ban on those sourced from countries and localities in the Philippines positive for ASF.”/PN
