Cebu tightens borders, activates ASF task forces to protect P20B hog industry
LAPU-LAPU CITY, Cebu — The Cebu provincial government has ordered the activation of local African Swine Fever (ASF) task forces and tightened border control measures to prevent the highly contagious animal disease from entering the province.
Governor Pamela Baricuatro signed Executive Order No. 36 on Friday, June 26, directing all component local government units (LGUs) to strengthen ASF prevention measures following confirmed outbreaks in Negros Occidental and other parts of the Visayas.
The directive seeks to shield Cebu’s estimated P20-billion hog industry through tighter biosecurity measures, continuous disease surveillance, and stricter monitoring of animal movement across the province.
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“The Provincial Government recognizes the need for proactive and preventive measures to protect Cebu’s hog industry, ensure food security, and safeguard the livelihood of hog raisers,” read part of the order.
Cebu remains ASF-free
The provincial government emphasized that the order is preventive, as Cebu has not recorded any confirmed ASF infections.
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The executive order cited recent surveillance conducted in cities and municipalities here, which returned negative laboratory results.
The findings were validated by the Department of Agriculture’s Regional Animal Disease Diagnostics Laboratory and the Bureau of Animal Industry.
READ: Negros Occidental LGUs intensify biosecurity measures to ward off ASF
Rapid response
Under the order, all component LGUs must activate their respective ASF Task Forces to maintain disease surveillance and ensure rapid response should suspected cases arise.
The Provincial Veterinary Office (PVO), together with municipal and city veterinarians and agriculture officers, will continue routine blood collection, laboratory testing, and farm inspections for early detection.
READ: Negros Oriental bans hogs, pork products from ASF-hit areas
Stricter border controls
Authorities have also been directed to tighten inspections at seaports and entry points serving Negros Island, particularly in LGUs with direct shipping routes from affected areas.
The entry of live hogs, pork, and processed pork products from ASF-affected provinces will be prohibited unless shipments are accompanied by complete veterinary health certificates, meat inspection certificates, negative ASF test results, and other required regulatory documents.
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LGUs must also conduct random inspections to prevent smuggling and illegal transport of livestock and pork products.
The order specifically requires sufficient inspection personnel during night and graveyard shifts, when most hog and pork shipments arrive in Cebu.
Meanwhile, the provincial government will restrict the passage of livestock carriers and other vehicles coming from Negros Occidental and other ASF-affected provinces for up to 45 days.
The restriction may be extended or modified depending on developments in the outbreak.
Biosecurity measures
The order also requires hog raisers to adopt strict biosecurity practices to reduce the risk of infection.
Farm owners must regularly disinfect animal pens, transport vehicles, and equipment while limiting farm access to authorized personnel.
Workers are also required to use footbaths and protective clothing, while swill feeding must be restricted.
Hog raisers have likewise been instructed to immediately report unusual pig deaths to their barangay or municipal and city veterinary and agriculture offices.
Public information, market safeguards
The Provincial Information Office has been tasked to intensify public awareness campaigns on ASF prevention.
Residents are being advised to buy pork only from verified sources, avoid bringing pork products from ASF-affected provinces, and report suspected ASF cases to local authorities.
To minimize possible economic impacts, the provincial government will also coordinate with the Department of Agriculture and the Department of Trade and Industry.
These agencies will work together to stabilize pork supply, monitor market prices, and prepare contingency measures should ASF affect the province.
Inter-agency coordination
Baricuatro’s order also calls for close coordination between the Department of Agriculture Regional Field Office 7, the Bureau of Animal Industry-Regional Veterinary Quarantine Service VII, the Cebu Port Authority, the Philippine Coast Guard, the Philippine National Police, and concerned LGUs.
The agencies are expected to work together in enforcing surveillance, border inspections, animal movement regulations, and biosecurity protocols to keep Cebu free from ASF.
Negros outbreak
The province’s heightened alert followed the resurgence of ASF in Negros Occidental.
According to an Inquirer.net report published on June 24, more than 500 pigs have died in San Enrique town after laboratory tests confirmed an ASF outbreak on June 22.
San Enrique Mayor Jilson Tubillara said all 10 barangays in the municipality have been affected.
Meanwhile, Bacolod City has recorded at least 10 hog deaths as of June 25.
Authorities have yet to confirm whether those deaths were caused by ASF, pending laboratory test results.
Local governments have since reinstated disease control measures, including bans on the entry of live swine and pork products and stricter enforcement against the illegal sale of meat. / with a report from PNA
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