Capitol to distribute cash aid to affected hog raisers next month

By Dolly Yasa

BACOLOD City – Negros Occidental Provincial Administrator Atty. Rayfrando Diaz said that the provincial government will distribute the P2,000 per household assistance to affected hog raisers next month.

Diaz told reporters on Thursday that the list is being finalized yet and will be submitted to Governor Eugenio Jose Lacson for approval.

“So it will be distributed probably by the first or second week of July or next month,” he said.

Diaz said the provincial government allocated P10 million “so it will be 5,000 beneficiaries but more or less there are only 4,000 plus beneficiaries.”

He stressed that those who are not observing biosecurity, particularly in disposing of their dead pigs will not be included in the assistance.

“That is why the Provincial Veterinarian Office is strictly screening the beneficiaries,” he added.

Meanwhile, pig deaths in the province due to various hog diseases further increased to 14,738, with losses valued at P166 million as of June 27, according to reports of the Provincial Veterinary Office (PVO).

The PVO reported that there are now 144 barangays in 18 local government units in Negros Occidental with hog mortalities, affecting 2,967 pig raisers.

But Lacson said that the number of pig deaths is decreasing, from an average of more than 400 per day at its peak, to at least 150, and there are now days with no recorded hog mortalities.

The hog deaths constitute 9.74 percent of the 151,281 population of Negros Occidental, PVO reports further indicated.

No hog deaths were reported  in the 1st district of Negros Occidental, composed of the cities of San Carlos and Escalante, and the municipalities of Toboso, Calatrava and Don Salvador Benedicto

On the other hand, San Enrique has logged 2,671 deaths, which is 99.22 percent of its hog population of 2,692.

The governor has discouraged the repopulation of pigs until the spread of diseases is fully addressed.