S. Leyte Gov’t orders ban of pork, pork products from Luzon, Mindanao

MAASIN CITY, Southern Leyte –Hogs and meat products from Luzon and Mindanao will already be barred entry into Southern Leyte province starting on Tuesday, February 4, 2020.

The ban was ordered in an Executive Order which Governor Damian Mercado issued on Feb. 3 as a precaution to the spread of the African Swine Fever (ASF) in the municipality of Don Marcelino in Davao Occidental.

Read: African swine fever kills 1,000 pigs in Davao Occidental town

Section 1 of Mercado’s EO prohibits the transportation of pork and pork related products including boar semen to Southern Leyte province.

The EO also declares as unlawful “for anyone to bring pork or pork related products including boar semen in whatever form or quantity from Luzon and Mindanao until such time that Department of Agriculture have declared the areas as ASF free.”

Pork or pork related products sourced from the other parts of the country may be allowed entry into the province provided that its transportation complies with requirements issued by the National Meat Inspection Services (NMIS) and veterinary shipping permits.

Pork from Mindanao consist almost 70 percent of the meat products consumed in Maasin City.  In the absence of meat coming fro Mindanao, a local meat dealer said they will have to rely on backyard piggeries.

Read: Gwen signs order to ban pork, pork related products from Davao Region

On Monday, Cebu Governor Gwendolyn Garcia also ordered a ban of pork and pork related products from the Davao Region (Region 11) in Mindanao.

Garcia’s ban cover pork products coming from the provinces of Davao Oriental, Davao Occidental, Davao Del Sur, Davao del Norte and Davao de Oro (formerly Compostela Valley).

On January 31, Don Marcelino Mayor Michael A. Maruya ordered his chief of police and all punong barangays in their are to adopt measures to prevent the spread of the ASF infection in their municipality. / dcb