NegOcc hog raisers urge passage through Cebu

By Dolly Yasa

BACOLOD City – Negros Occidental Governor Eugenio Jose Lacson on Monday said that hog raisers in the province are asking help that they be allowed to pass through Cebu going to Leyte where their market is.

“Ang request lang sang hog raisers naton, especially the commercial hog raisers, maagi tani sa Cebu kay ang ila market is really Leyte, they are requesting that they be allowed to pass,” Lacson said.

He added that for now, they cannot quantify the estimated losses that will be incurred by the local hog industry after Cebu Governor Gwen Garcia ordered a ban against live pork and pork products from the province.

As an offshoot, Negros Occidental and Bacolod issued a joint Executive Order banning the same products from Cebu.

Lacson said that so far, the entry of said products has been controlled except for those that were possibly brought in before the ban declared by Garcia.

It is being monitored, Lacson said.

Canned goods are now allowed entry although before these canned goods from red zones (ASF positive areas) that are mostly from Luzon are strictly banned in the province “because we are getting from Cebu (Virginia products).”

He added that “right now safe naman actually and canned goods so we will allow them.”

Lacson said the ban still includes frozen pork products as “they can still be carriers (of ASF) virus.”

The governor also lamented there are sentiments that the imposed ban will also affect the food supply in the province. “I hope not,” he said.