Dar lauds Cebu, Bohol for banning pork products from ASF areas
CEBU CITY–Agriculture Secretary William Dar on Tuesday said the quarantine measures put in place by the local governments in Cebu, Bohol, and Mimaropa should continue.
The measures would ensure that the hog industry in these areas would be protected, Dar said at a press conference held at Cafe Caloy in Tagbilaran City.
“Mabuti at ang Mimaropa, Visayas at Mindanao walang ASF (It’s good that Mimaropa, Visayas and Mindanao don’t have ASF),” Dar said. “Let’s protect that kasi ang laki ng value ng hog industry – P260 billion all over the country.”
Cebu and Bohol were the first to implement the ban on pork products coming from Luzon and countries confirmed to have ASF.
“Let’s continue to elevate quarantine measures para hindi makapasok ang ASF dito,” the secretary stressed.
He added that he had asked DA-7 regional executive director Salvador Diputado to continue to enhance and operate quarantine measures to keep the ASF virus from gaining entry here.
Aside from the ban implemented by the local governments of Central Visayas provinces, Diputado explained that DA-7 has also prepared for possible entry of the ASF virus in Central Visayas.
The regional office has acquired personnel protection equipment and chemical reagents to be used in case the ASF virus enters the region.
Diputado added they have also come up with procedures on how to deal with it, including the dissemination of information. He urged local government units to coordinate with local media to ensure the dissemination of the correct information in case this occurs.
According to Diputado, he learned that Bohol will be allocating P10 million to prepare for the entry of ASF.
On the other hand, Secretary Dar has authorized the use of the quick reaction fund for a similar purpose, he noted.
If Bohol provincial government provides a P5,000 reimbursement for an ASF-stricken hog on top of the same amount to be given to the hog raiser, Diputado said, hog raisers would be encouraged to report a case of suspected ASF./rcg
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