ASF Task Force: Banned pork products from Luzon proliferate Cebu wet markets

The Department of Veterinary Medicine and Fisheries (DVMF) has ordered the confiscation of banned meat products coming from African Swine Fever affected countries which they found on display on the shelves of grocery stores in Cebu City. | CDND File Photo

CEBU CITY, Philippines — Pork products from Luzon still made it to some wet markets in Cebu despite the ban imposed by the Cebu provincial government.

Dr. Mary Rose Vincoy, the provincial veterinarian and head of the ASF Task Force, admitted that some traders are now trying to play a “hide-and-seek” game with the Cebu Provincial African Swine Fever (ASF) Task Force.

They display pork products from Luzon that were earlier ordered banned from grocery stores.

“The task force is now also monitoring the wet markets for pork products coming from Luzon. Some of the vendors even hide the products under their stalls during our inspections,” Vincoy said in an interview on Monday, October 7.

Read more: Cebu bans hogs from Luzon, processed pork products from Bulacan and Rizal

Last week, the ASF team discovered the display of pork products from Luzon in some of the wet market stalls in Talisay City.

Dr. Mary Thessa Loraine Alo, Talisay City veterinarian, said they already issued a warning to the owners of the stalls where the banned pork products were discovered.

Alo said the concerned vendors explained that they were just awaiting for their suppliers to pull out said products and ship this back to its manufacturers in Luzon to avoid from paying the shipping cost.

“Actually, nag-arrange na daw na sila sa suppliers ug naghuwat na lang sila kay ang ilang kasabutang nga ang suppliers maoy mogasto sa pag-ship back,” Alo told CDN Digital in a phone interview.

(Actually, they already made arrangements with their suppliers and they are just waiting for these products to be pulled out for return to its manufacturer.)

Read more: Cebu province imposes total ban vs hogs, pork products from Luzon

They also spoke with the vendors and explained to them of the need to already confiscate the Luzon-sourced pork products if they will still find these on their stalls during their next inspection.

Vincoy also said they already tapped meat inspectors and personnel of the local veterinary offices to monitor activities in wet markets since their manpower compliment at the provincial office is not enough to also cover all the wet markets in Cebu province.

Cebu Governor Gwendolyn Garcia earlier issued an executive order to ban the entry of all pork products and live hogs coming from Luzon in the light of the present ASF situation in the country.

The cities of Cebu and Mandaue have likewise imposed the same ban.

Read more: Mandaue imposes total ban on hogs, pork from Luzon

The move was meant to protect the P10 billion local hog industry which famed itself for “lechon” or roasted pig and food tourism. / dcb