BACOLOD City – The Negros Occidental provincial government will begin distributing hog cholera vaccines today in the 6th District.
The distribution, alongside the handover of 800 free-range chickens for the alternative livelihood of hog raisers whose businesses were adversely affected by hog cholera and African Swine Fever, will be carried out in Ilog town, said Provincial Veterinary Office (PVO) officer-in-charge Dr. Placeda Lemana.
Currently, only around 25,000 doses of hog cholera vaccines out of the 70,000 doses purchased by the provincial government have arrived.
Lemana clarified that the raisers themselves will administer the vaccine to their pigs to prevent the animals from contracting the disease.
Recipients of the hog cholera vaccines will undergo training to ensure effective administration and to avoid mishandling.
Unused vaccines, meanwhile, will be stored by the local government unit.
Earlier, the provincial government requested the Commission on Elections (Comelec) to exempt from the upcoming election spending ban the release of financial assistance to hog raisers.
Provincial Administrator Rayfrando Diaz said the financial assistance will be released to raisers affected by hog mortalities due to hog cholera and African Swine Fever after cleansing the list of qualified beneficiaries.
The provincial government has allocated P10 million for the initial cash assistance. (Watchmen Daily Journal)/PN
