ILOILO City – An estimated P1.6 million worth of processed pork products, including pork hams, were intercepted by veterinary quarantine officers and inspectors at the Caticlan Jetty Port in Malay, Aklan.
According to Aklan’s Bureau of Animal Industry (BAI) – Veterinary Quarantine Station provincial coordinator, Dr. Wendel Maglantay, this was so far the biggest single shipment confiscation this year.
Their 24-hour monitoring resulted in the apprehension of 74 styroboxes of processed pork products and eight boxes of pork hams, which weighed at least 4.1 tons, on Dec. 17.
Maglantay said these unlabeled and undocumented products were intended for transshipment to Bacolod City, Capiz and Iloilo.
The owner as well as the supposed recipients of the products were unknown, he added. The driver failed to show pertinent documents as required by BAI.
“Bal-an nila nga bawal. Kon makalusot, lusot,” said Maglantay.
The products were reshipped back to their place of origin.
In the province of Aklan, Gov. Jose Enrique Miraflores’ Executive Order No. 045 prohibits the entry of swine, pork products, pork-based products, or any products mixed with or commingled with pork-based products, whether raw or preserved, labeled or unlabeled, coming from other provinces within Panay Island.
It sought to prevent the entry of African Swine Fever (ASF) into Aklan Iloilo and Guimaras, among others.
Maglantay asked for the cooperation of the public to protect Aklan and the region’s hog industry.
“Ginapaabot ko sa publiko nga tradisyon na naton nga mga Filipino nga maghanda sang ham for Christmas and asta New Year. Pero lantawon naton ang risgo nga idulot sini kay may continuous battle pa kita against ASF. Magbuloligay na lang kita para indi makasulod,” said Maglantay.
Aside from the Jetty Port, he said they are also monitoring Kalibo and Caticlan airports./PN
