BY DOMINIQUE GABRIEL G. BAÑAGA
BACOLOD City – The town of Hinigaran in Negros Occidental was the latest local government unit (LGU) in the province to record confirmed cases of the African swine fever (ASF). Two blood samples from the town’s Barangay Cambaog tested positive for the hog disease.
Mayor Nadie Arceo said 12 barangays were affected by the ASF and of the 541 pigs that have died, 317 came from Barangay Cambaog.
He also revealed that only 10 percent of the town’s hog raisers have insured their pigs.
The LGU will provide financial assistance amounting to P500 per piglet that have died and P1,000 per adult pig.
Earlier, Provincial Administrator Rayfrando Diaz said the number of hog mortalities in the province was decreasing.
Provincial Veterinary Office data showed that the province recorded 140 to 150 swine mortalities over the past few days – far from the more than 400 hog deaths recorded every day a few weeks ago.
Losses brought by hog mortalities were pegged at around P152 million as of Tuesday, June 20.
The other LGUs with confirmed ASF cases were the cities of Silay, Victorias and Bacolod, and the town of Pulupandan./PN
