BY JEN BAYLON
BACOLOD City – Zero cases of African Swine Fever (ASF) were recorded across 26 barangays in Victorias City, Negros Occidental in the first two months of 2024.
Mayor Javier Miguel Benitez disclosed this in a press conference on Wednesday, February 28.
But the city has yet to be officially certified ASF-free by the Department of Agriculture-Bureau of Animal Industry.
Victorias first reported nine confirmed ASF cases in June 2023, the second local government in the province to have confirmed cases after Pulupandan town.
The mayor also expressed his support for the ongoing ban on the entry of swine and pork products from areas with ASF cases, implemented by the province of Negros Occidental.
On Monday, February 26, Gov. Eugenio Jose Lacson signed Executive Order No. 24-07, which outlines the guidelines for “the entry of all live pigs, boar semen, pork, pork products, and other pork-related food items from areas with reported ASF cases into the province.”
Benitez is concerned that allowing the re-entry of these products might lead to a resurgence of ASF.
Benitez said the city has registered most of its hog raisers with the Philippine Crop Insurance Corporation.
There are also alternative livelihood options for affected hog raisers by giving them chickens, goats, and rabbits as alternative sources of income.
So far, 96 hog raisers in the city have each received P2,000 financial assistance from the provincial government./PN
