ANTIQUE – The Provincial Veterinary Office (PVO) has stringent measures, including surveillance, to prevent the entry into Antique of the African Swine Fever (ASF) and avian influenza, or bird flu.
Gov. Rhodora Cadiao said the PVO headed by Dr. Florencio manages border checkpoints 24/7 and enforce the ban on the entry of pork and pork products.
Passengers of public and private vehicles from Iloilo are being inspected.
The province’s hog industry is being closely monitored for early detection of live hogs that may exhibit symptoms of the disease.
ASF cases were recorded in seven towns of Iloilo province: Alimodian, Santa Barbara, Mina, New Lucena, Leganes, Oton, and San Miguel.
Antique is also keeping a keen eye on its poultry industry after the first case of bird flu was detected in Barangay Cagay, Roxas City in Capiz.
“So far wala man diri sa Antique,” Cadiao told Panay News.
The governor is also studying a possible entry ban on poultry and poultry products from other parts of the Philippines.
Macuja, on the other hand, said the Department of Agriculture Region 6 collected blood samples from livestock and poultry animals in Antique last week for testing. (With a report from Radyo Bandera Sweet FM Antique)/PN
