Cebu Governor Gwendolyn Garcia and Negros Oriental Gov. Manuel “Chaco” Sagarbarria, during a press conference on Thursday, June 28, 2023.| Photo courtesy of Sugbo News
CEBU CITY, Philippines — The Provinces of Cebu and Negros Oriental will soon craft and implement identical measures in handling the threats of African Swine Fever (ASF) disease.
Negros Oriental Gov. Manuel “Chaco” Sagarbarria paid a courtesy visit to Cebu Gov. Gwendolyn Garcia on Thursday afternoon, June 29, 2023.
Identical protocols for ASF
In a press conference during his visit to the Capitol, Sagarbarria said that both provinces would sign, in the coming days, a memorandum of agreement (MOA) that would stipulate identical protocols about biosecurity measures, as well as on the mobility of hogs and related products into their respective territories by lifting the ban on hogs from Bureau of Animal Industry (BAI)-declared ASF-infected areas.
“Now, we have a problem since the live hogs of Negros Oriental cannot cross Cebu. Kami pod vice versa naproblema pod og Cebu because diri man sa Cebu i-process ang mga baboy. Once it’s processed here, it goes back gihapon to Negros,” he said.
(Now, we have a problem since the live hogs of Negros Oriental cannot cross Cebu. We are vice versa also, we found it a problem with Cebu because it is here where the hogs are being processed. Once it’s processed here, it goes back to Negros.)
Negros Oriental: Secure borders, help farmers
“Now, gasabot mi ni Gov na (Now, gov and I agreed that) we will create a MOA between two provinces to make sure to follow the proper protocols and biosecurity, which is also up to standard. Kinahanglan mi makahibalo asa ang baboy [gikan] (We need to know where the hogs are) to make sure this is not infected, that way we can secure our borders more,” he added.
Sagarbarria said in this way, they would not only secure their borders but also would support the local farmers.
These measures, he said, would be important, to alleviate the situation of the hog raisers in his province, who for some time, had to sell their products for a very low price at P85 to P90 per kilo for live hogs.
Asked about the MOA’s content, Sagarbarria said the two provinces would no longer follow the zoning classifications, but they would still implement biosecurity measures.
“More or less, the same measures, requirements, protocols, or biosecurity measures are needed. We will not follow the zoning2 pero maybe before mo-cross, we can do an immediate antigen test nga ASF quick test so we can make sure that the pigs are not infected. On their side, whatever products that they bring in, we can also [test],” he said.
(More or less, the same measures, requirements, protocols or biosecurity measures are needed. We will not follow the zoning but maybe before we cross, we can do an immediate antigen test that ASF quick test so we can make sure that the pigs are not infected. On their side whatever products that they bring in, we can also [test].)
Garcia, earlier, called on other local chief executives to exercise their local autonomy and denounce the BAI policies on ASF, which she calls economically disruptive.
READ: Culling, as anti-ASF protocol, now unlawful in Cebu province
Meanwhile, Sagarbarria’s visit to Garcia on Thursday was his first after assuming the post 29 days ago, after the demise of Gov. Roel Degamo last March, and Gov. Carlo Jorge Joan Reyes in May.
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