Mayor Rama issues EO for ASF control in Cebu City

CEBU CITY, Philippines—The Cebu City government will still allow the entry of live hogs from duly registered commercial farms as long as they can present the required documents upon entry and inspection. 

Cebu City Mayor Michael Rama issued on Wednesday, March 22, 2023, his four-page Executive Order (EO) No. 5 series of 2023, which orders the intensified information and education campaign on the nature and effects of the African Swine Fever (ASF) and promotion of economy and food supply stability and protecting the hog industry in the city.

The Bureau of Animal Industry (BAI) of the Department of Agriculture (DA) last March 20, confirmed the presence of the ASF virus in other parts of Cebu, other than Carcar City, where it was first detected.

It reported the detection of the ASF in Cebu City, Liloan, Tuburan, Bogo City, and Sibonga.

However, under Rama’s EO no. 5, hogs from backyard farms of identified concerned areas (or areas of reported cases of ASF) shall also be permitted subject to documentary requirements. 

Moreover, all cooked and/or processed pork products from any zone which has been subjected to a temperature of at least 70 degrees Celsius for 30 minutes, including lechon, chicharon, ham, longganisa, hotdog, and canned meat, among others, are also permitted entry to the city. 

Green zone

Dr. Jessica Maribojoc, of the Cebu City Department of Veterinary and Medicine Office, in a press conference on Wednesday, March 22, 2023, said the status of Cebu City remains in the green zone despite ASF cases detected in the city. 

Maribojoc said the Bureau of Animal Industry has yet to change the status of the city, and that the city government can still fight for its “green status” as the city has contained the spread of the ASF within two days since its detection. 

She, however, begged off from naming the barangays in the city where ASF cases were reported to avoid an ASF scare.

Atty. Collin Rosell, executive secretary to the mayor, also said that since the city is more of a consumer city instead of a producer, the city is geared toward promoting alternative livestock production developed by the City’s Agriculture Department. 

“The convergence group identified and characterized the City of Cebu as more of a consumer and not a producer in the hog supply chain and backyard hog raising are mostly located in the City’s upland barangays only,” Rosell said reading a portion of the signed EO.

Maribojoc said currently, Cebu City has a total pig population of about 11,000.

Since the detection of ASF case in the city, the DVMF has already culled 12 pigs in the city.

Meanwhile, Rama also ordered the DVMF and the City Agriculture Department to profile and conduct a comprehensive inventory, surveillance, and monitoring of all hogs and hog raisers existing and operating within Cebu City, including those operated by individuals, associations, and commercial hog raisers for the prevention and early detection of the ASF.

The mayor also tasked the DVMF to continue to intensify monitoring of transport and movement of live hogs, pork, and pork products to and from Cebu City, and to conduct intensified information and education campaign on the ASF.

/bmjo

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