BACOLOD City – Hog mortalities continue to go down in Negros Occidental based on the latest monitoring of the Provincial Veterinary Office (PVO).
As of July 31, the PVO recorded only 11 hog deaths in the province, with losses estimated at P198,879,325.
Total hog deaths were 17,755, or 9.81 percent of Negros Occidental’s total hog population, affecting over 4,000 hog raisers.
San Enrique town was still the hardest hit, with nearly its entire hog population wiped out.
The town suffered 2,671 hog deaths, with losses reaching P30,039,825.
Twenty local government units have been affected by hog mortalities from hog cholera and African Swine Fever.
Gov. Eugenio Jose Lacson previously attributed the drop in hog mortalities to stricter biosecurity protocols.
PVO data further showed that the province was able to ship out more than 10,000 healthy hogs to other provinces.
The province has also not experienced shortages in pork and pork products.
Meanwhile, Provincial Social Welfare and Development Office (PSWDO) head Chiqui Gonzales said yesterday morning that the aid for hog raisers will be released next week.
A total of P4.5 million has been allocated to provide P2,000 in cash assistance to each affected hog raiser.
According to Gonzales, only 2,250 affected hog raisers will be catered for in the first tranche of payout.
San Enrique town will be the first to receive the cash assistance, with an allocation of P304,000. (Watchmen Daily Journal)
