Bacolod tightens pork ban amid ASF scare

By Glazyl M. Jopson

BACOLOD CITY — The city government will impose stricter border controls and a pork ban as part of intensified measures against the possible resurgence and spread of African swine fever, or ASF, a highly contagious and deadly disease affecting pigs.

Mayor Greg Gasataya convened members of the Bacolod City ASF Task Force on Thursday to discuss steps to prevent the disease from entering the city.

During the meeting, the city discussed intensified monitoring in 13 identified border control areas, including seaports, to strengthen surveillance, inspection, and monitoring activities.

The city will also impose a ban on imported pork and pork products, particularly those without permits from concerned agencies, to protect hog raisers, vendors, transporters, and consumers who are part of Negros Occidental’s PHP 6 billion swine industry.

Coordination among concerned agencies will be strengthened to strictly monitor and prevent the entry and sale of “hot meat,” pork, and pork products that lack required slaughterhouse documents and other regulatory clearances.

Although there are no confirmed ASF cases in Bacolod, City Administrator Mark Mayo said in a media interview Friday that the city received reports of hog mortalities in Barangays Alijis, Taculing, and 35.

Mayo said the City Veterinary Office will collect samples from the pigs for laboratory testing to determine the cause of death.

The ASF task force, led by Gasataya, was revived Tuesday to strengthen surveillance and biosecurity measures and safeguard the local swine industry.

ASF was reported Tuesday in San Enrique town after the deaths of at least 500 pigs.

Mayor Jilson Tubillara said in a media interview Friday that hog mortalities in the town have resulted in losses of more than PHP 5 million.

Tubillara said the municipal government has controlled the spread of the disease after he instructed concerned agencies to properly bury the pigs.

He said he is collating data on the town’s hog population because hog raising is one of the residents’ livelihoods.

Although all 10 barangays in San Enrique were affected, Tubillara said he is unsure whether the town will declare a state of calamity because officials still need to assess the extent of damage in the villages as basis for the declaration.

The Department of Health has said ASF does not pose a risk to human health, although the disease can cause severe losses in the swine industry.

The Bureau of Animal Industry continues to monitor ASF through zoning and bulletin updates as part of national surveillance and control efforts.