‘Report sale of Chinese pork products’

By: Dolly Yasa

BACOLOD City – Negros Occidental Provincial Board Member Manuel Frederick Ko urged residents of the province to report to authorities if they spot Chinese pork products sold in local markets.

Ko made the appeal after the government ordered the recall of pork products from China from market shelves across the province.

He said the move is only a precaution in order to protect the province’s hog industry.

“We are not sure if the pork products brought here has the disease or not, and besides, in other countries they have already banned these items from being sold,” Ko said.

He also clarified the current ban only covers Chinese pork as other Chinese meat products are considered safe.

On Thursday, Provincial Veterinary Office head Dr. Renante Decena and Governor Eugenio Jose Lacson led the removal of Chinese pork products from major grocery stores in Bacolod City.

Among the brands covered by the recall are Narcissus, Heaven Temple, Ma Ling, Shabu Shabu, Sol Primo, Wang Taste of Korea, Highway, Sky Dragon, and Weilin.

Decena also assured that the province is still free from African swine fever.

The Department of Agriculture has also announced earlier that they have recorded several “suspicious” deaths of hogs in some areas of the country.