BACOLOD City – Around 1,800 additional hog raisers affected during last year’s outbreak of the African swine fever (ASF) and hog cholera in Negros Occidental will receive financial assistance from the provincial government.
Chiqui Gonzales, head of the Provincial Social Welfare and Development Office (PSWDO), said more than 3,000 affected hog raisers were the first to receive cash assistance of P2,000 each last year.
The provincial government allocated P10 million for 5,000 affected hog raisers.
The Provincial Veterinary Office (PVO), meanwhile, continues its ASF surveillance in the province, especially in eight local government units (LGUs) that were severely hit by hog diseases.
PVO head Dr. Placeda Lemana said they are aiming to downgrade the status of these LGUs from red zone to pink zone for the raisers to ship their hogs out of the province.
Negros Occidental, which has a P6 billion swine industry, recorded almost 18,000 hog deaths last year with losses estimated at around P200 million. (Watchmen Daily Journal)/PN
