Bacolod City – The city government of Bacolod has lifted the ban on the entry of live pigs, pork, and related products, in a bid to address the growing clamor over its lack of supply.
In Executive Order No. 9, dated February 23, Mayor Alfredo Abelardo Benitez ordered Bacolod City Veterinary Office (CVO) “to allow the movement of pork and other swine products in the city pursuant to the provisions of Department of Agriculture (DA) Administrative Circular No. 22, series of 2022.”
With the increasing demand for pork product, there is a need to issue an additional directive consistent with the updated DA Administrative Circular in order align with our local issuances with that of national policies and directives, in order to avert any threat of shortage of basic food necessities, and at the same time, prevent the spread of African Swine Fever, in order to help revive our local hog industry and its allied industries, Benitez said.
The province of Negros Occidental and Bacolod City jointly issued earlier Executive Order No. 1, series of 2024, setting aside Joint EO No.1, series of 2023, “establishing the guidelines for the entry of all live pigs, boar semen, pork, pork products and other related food items from areas with reported cases of ASF.”
In view of the different classifications of Negros Occidental and Bacolod City, and upon the recommendation of the Department of Agriculture (DA), there is a need to set aside Joint Executive Order No. 1, Series of 2023, in order for the two local government units to issue their respective guidelines on the entry of live pigs, pork, and its related products and food items from areas with reported cases of ASF, the joint EO states.
Highly urbanized Bacolod City has been tagged by DA as an ASF red zone, while Negros Occidental is a dark green zone.
Since September last year, the Provincial Veterinarian Office has not recorded any hog mortalities that are blamed either to ASF or hog cholera in Negros Occidental.
On February 21, Gov. Manuel Sagarbarria issued Executive Order No. 10, which lifted the ban on the transport and movement of live pigs, pork products and its by-products into Negros Oriental.
Although the ban was already lifted, Benitez maintained that shipments of live pigs, pork, pork products and other related products should be accompanied by necessary permits and pertinent documents when entering Bacolod.
“To ensure compliance to the DA administrative circular, the CVO shall strictly monitor and screen compliance, particularly on the documentary requirements,” he added. (Gilbert Bayoran via The Visayan Daily Star (TVDS), photo courtesy of TVDS)
