Officials of the Cebu City government headed by Mayor Edgardo Labella feast on a lechon (roasted pork) during a boodle fight at the Plaza Sugbo last Wednesday, September 18, 2019, to encourage the public to consume pork amidst the African Swine Fever controversy. CDN Digital photo | Delta Letigio
CEBU CITY, Philippines —The Cebu City Department of Veterinary Medicine and Fisheries (DVMF) is reminding the public that it’s safe to consume local pork products despite the confirmed entry of the African Swine Fever (ASF) in the country.
Read: Cebu intensifies watch vs African Swine Fever after DA confirms first case in Rizal province
Doctor Jenniffer Laurente, the head of the DVMF, said humans are not affected by the ASF since it is a specie-specific disease. It only affects hogs.
She assured that no case of ASF has been recorded in Cebu City and other parts of Cebu, and so there is no reason not to eat pork at all.
“Nangahadlok man gud ang mga tawo nga mokaon og baboy tungod sa ASF. Dili man ta masakit anang ASF,” Laurente told CDN Digital in an interview. “Delikado siya sa baboy pero walay epekto sa tawo.”
(People are scared to eat pork because of the ASF. We are not affected by ASF. It is dangerous to pigs, but is harmless to humans.)
Read: Cebu City Agriculture intensifies preventive measures for ASF
DVMF says this amidst reports from the Cebu Market Vendors and Development Cooperative (Cemvedco) of a 20-percent decrease of sales in pork products since the news of ASF infiltrating Luzon came out.
Cemvedco chairman, Erwin Gok-ong, said that the sales significantly decreased, as they can only sell, at most, 16 heads daily, compared to the more than 20 heads a day.
One head is equal to a whole pig.
“Ang publiko ron murag nag-panic ba tungod sa ASF. Dili na mangaon og chorizo. Nigamay gyod among halin sa Carbon,” said Gok-ong.
(The public seems to be panicking because of the ASF. They won’t eat chorizo. Our sales at the Carbon Market has really decreased.)
Read: Cebu Provincial Board looks into legislations to protect P10.9 billion hog industry
Gok-ong believes there is really no need to worry since ASF has not entered Cebu.
For him, the industry should suffer only if ASF managed to enter the city, not before it enters. He understands the public’s fear, but urged them to understand what ASF is all about to go over that fear. /bmjo