BACOLOD City – Negros Occidental continues to enforce a ban on the entry of hogs and pork products as part of stringent measures against African Swine Fever (ASF), despite the neighboring province of Negros Oriental lifting its own pork ban.
Gov. Manuel “Chaco” Sagarbarria of Negros Oriental signed Executive Order No. 10 on Wednesday, Feb. 21, allowing the transport and movement of live pigs and pork products within the province.
This move is seen as a significant relief for hog raisers and consumers who have been struggling with the effects of ASF that also devastated Negros Oriental’s hog population last year.
However, in Negros Occidental, Gov. Eugenio Jose Lacson said the province would continue adhering to anti-ASF protocols, especially in areas designated as red zones.
Lacson emphasized that the current focus is on recovery, saying that the provincial government plans to provide cash assistance to hog raisers affected by ASF.
He urged hog raisers to remain cautious and to continue following safety protocols to avoid another ASF outbreak.
Lacson expressed his desire for Negros Occidental to regain its status as the province with the largest number of backyard hog raisers in the country.
Negros Occidental, home to a P6-billion swine industry, has reported nearly 18,000 hog deaths across approximately 20 local government units since April 2023 due to diseases such as ASF and hog cholera. (Source: Watchmen Daily Journal)/PN
