ILOILO – The provincial government, through the Provincial Veterinary Office (PVO), will release financial aid for hog farmers affected by the African swine fever (ASF) starting this week.
The PVO will first release today P1.1-million financial assistance to more than 100 Oton town hog farmers whose swine were depopulated due to ASF.
“Included na diri ang nag-voluntary depopulate,” said PVO head, Dr. Darel Tabuada.
According to Tabuada, the amount of financial assistance affected hog farmers will be receiving is based on the number of swine heads, whether sow, fattener or young swine (except sucklings) such as follows:
* one to five hog heads – P7,000;
* six to 10 hog heads – P10,000;
* 11 to 15 hog heads – P15,000;
* 16 to 20 hog heads – P20,000;
* 21 to 25 hog heads – P25,000; and
* 26 hog heads and above – P30,000.
PVO said only hog farmers included in the master list of the Municipal Agriculture Office (MAO)-Oton will receive the assistance.
But those not included may still submit their report to MAO-Oton.
Only late reports with a valid reason will be accepted, and the assistance may possibly be released next year, said Tabuada.
Aside from Oton, the PVO is also preparing cash assistance for affected farmers in San Miguel town.
As of Dec. 9, a total of 1,852 swine were depopulated in the province.
Here is the breakdown of the depopulated swine from seven ASF-affected towns:
* Oton – 898 swine from 68 farmers
* San Miguel – 466 swine from 43 farmers
* Alimodian – 57 swine from 47 farmers
* Leganes – 147 swine from 27 farmers
* Santa Barbara – 197 swine from 32 farmers
* New Lucena – 62 swine from five farmers
* Mina – 25 swine from six farmers
Not included in the list is the number of swine heads recently depopulated in Barangay Cabilauan, Barotac Nuevo because MAO-Barotac Nuevo is still collating data.
As part of the guidelines, the depopulation must be documented by the provincial / municipal /city ASF taskforce.
In the grant of financial assistance to swine farmers, only one farm owner (individual / family / company / cooperative) per farm shall be recognized as a beneficiary.
Meanwhile, farms that conducted swine depopulation because of suspected or probable ASF cases but not under the supervision of the provincial / municipal / city ASF taskforce shall not be qualified for financial assistance.
The financial aid to affected hog farmers will be taken from the approved P40 million supplemental budget of the province.
Meanwhile, seven towns – Oton, San Miguel, Alimodian, Leganes, Santa Barbara, New Lucena, and Mina – were already declared as “red (infected) zone” where “movement of live pigs, pork, pork products (fresh/frozen pork products and uncooked processed pork products, except cooked and canned processed pork products), and swine genetic materials in and out of the said municipality shall be prohibited.
The red zone status shall remain until lifted./PN
