Labella: Lifting of ban on pork from parts of Luzon, Mindanao in compliance with President’s order

CEBU CITY, Philippines — Cebu City Mayor Edgardo Labella said during his press conference today that his call for the lifting of the ban on pork and pork products coming from areas that have been declared free of the African Swine Fever (AFS) was not a decision that he made on his own.

Labella said he was merely trying to comply with the directive of President Rodrigo Duterte to already lift the ban in areas in Luzon and Mindanao that have remained free of the infection.

Duterte signed Administrative Order No. 22 on February 5, 2020 to direct all government agencies and local government units to comply with the “National Zoning and Movement Plan for African Swine Fever” that is contained in Administrative Circular No. 12 of the Department of Agriculture.

“We cannot go beyond this order,” Labella said.

The DA Circular which Agriculture Secretary William Dar signed on December 10, 2019 declared ASF affected areas as red zones. However, it classified as light green zones or protected zones those regions and provinces that have remained free and with low risk of the infection.  These include region 1 (exempt Pangasinan), region II or the Cordillera Administration Region and Region V (except Masbate and Catanduanes which are considered as free zones).

There are also those regions and provinces that were considered as free zones or those that are “defined as the geographical limit which remains free from the AFP virus.”  These include the entire Visayas and Mindanao, “due to their geographical isolation as island provinces, which keep them ASF-free.”  Other areas classified as free zones are region Iv-B (MIMAROPA) and Masbate and Catanduanes.

Read: Gwen fears Labella’s lifting of pork ban would endanger Cebu’s P11B hog industry

Cebu Governor Gwendolyn Garcia has expressed hope that Labella will reconsider his decision to allow the entry of pork products from Mindanao.

Garcia said it would be another huge challenge for both the Cebu City government and the provincial government if the ASF virus will breach the province.

Some members of the Cebu City Council shared Garcia’s sentiments.

Read: Labella urged: Follow Capitol’s lead in pork ban of ASF areas

In his press conference, Labella said that he will never recommend the lifting of the pork ban in areas like parts of Davao Region where ASF remains a threat.

“Katong mga lugar nga dark green zones nag-agi og makuti ug masusi nga requirement, documentation kung safe ba ilang karne. Kani giconfirm sa Presidente sa iyang administrative order released pag February 5, 2020,” sai Labella.

(Those areas that were already classified as dark green zones underwent review and determination of compliance with documentary requirements to determine if their porks remains safe.  This was confirmed by the President in the administrative order which he released on February 5, 2020.)

Labella said that should pork and pork products coming from ASF-free areas be allowed to entire Cebu, his administration will make sure to deploy meat inspectors to especially check on its documentation and permits.

He will also make sure that pork coming from other parts of the country, other than areas that were already given the dark green classifications, will still be banned here. / dcb