ILOILO – The provincial government is not keen on lifting the temporary ban it imposed beginning October last year on swine, pork, pork products and byproducts from areas hit by the African swine fever (ASF).
In Executive Order No. 027, series of 2020, Gov. Arthur Defensor Jr. extended the temporary ban until the Department of Agriculture (DA) has declared as ASF-free those areas that the agency identified as having been hit by the ASF virus.
These areas were Luzon and the countries of Latvia, Poland, Romania, Russia, Ukraine, Luxembourg, Belgium, Bulgaria, Moldova, Czech Republic, South Africa, Zambia, Hong Kong, Mongolia, Vietnam, Cambodia, Myanmar, Lao People’s Republic, South Korea, and China.
ASF causes high fever, loss of appetite, hemorrhage, and death among domestic and wild pigs, thus a threat to the local swine industry.
Executive Order No. 027 cited the following reasons for extending the temporary ban:
* the DA detected DNA traces of ASF virus in batches of hotdogs and skinless longanisa sourced from Luzon
* sporadic cases of ASF were still reported in Rizal, Bulacan, National Capitol Region, Pampanga, Pangasinan, Nueva Ecija, Cavite and other areas of Luzon and these pose a lingering threat to the swine industry of the province of Iloilo
Bureau of Animal Industry (BAI) has quarantine officers at the Iloilo Airport to make sure no pork, pork products and byproducts from ASF-hit areas enter the province.
Defensor said seaports in the province such as those in Dumangas, Ajuy and Carles are also being monitored.
Only those that meet the regulatory requirements of the BAI would be allowed to enter Iloilo, he stressed.
The following are the requirements:
* veterinary health certificate (VHC) and veterinary shipping permit
* livestock handler’s permit
* livestock and poultry transport / carrier certificate
* certificate of vehicle registration
* disinfection clearance
* farm registration
All swine, pork, pork products and by-products shall also be accompanied by National Meat Inspection Service or Local Government Unit Meat Inspection Certificate./PN
