Bacolod City – Mayor Raymund Tongson over-the-weekend assured his constituents that there is no cause for alarm, as there are no confirmed cases yet of hog cholera and Asian Swine Fever in Himamaylan City.
Tongson, however, is not taking chances, as he issued an executive order on June 8 that banned the entry of pigs and pig products into Himamaylan City from other areas in Negros Occidental.
Tongson pointed out the need to “protect and preserve” the swine industry, especially backyard farmers in his city. “There is no cause for alarm,” the mayor assured his constituents.
While he did not give any exact numbers of hog deaths in Himamaylan City, Tongson said they have forwarded results of the random tests they conducted on dead hogs to the Bureau of Animal Industry.
We have put up four checkpoints along the national highway, the mayor said, adding that he has also ordered the barangays to also set up checkpoints to limit the movement of pigs in Himamaylan City.
Tongson pointed out the need to “protect and preserve” the swine industry, especially backyard farmers in his city.
Hog raisers in Kabankalan City have voluntarily offered their pigs to be buried alive to stop the spread of hog cholera, according to City Agriculturist Ricky Moscosa.
Based on the City Agriculture Office records, Moscosa said that Brgy. Binicuil logged more than 100 hog deaths, with 12 confirmed deaths, while 90 others were buried alive.
The City Agriculture Office has already ordered lock downs in Brgys. Binicuil, Daan Banwa and Hilamonan, all in Kabankalan City, where high incidents of hog deaths were recorded. (Gilbert Bayoran via The Visayan Daily Star (TVDS), photo courtesy of TVDS)
