Mayor John Dalipe has commended the city government through the City Veterinarian Office for winning the fight against the African Swine Fever (ASF), which had taken too much toll on local hog raisers for the past two years.
In his message during the flag raising ceremony Monday, November 20, Dalipe particularly extolled the CVO headed by Dr. Mario Arriola and the city’s hog raisers for winning the war on ASF with Zamboanga City having been upgraded from Red (Infected) Zone to Pink (Buffer) Zone.
“It shows that we are winning our fight against ASF,” said the visibly elated local chief executive.
In the latest ASF Zoning Map and Zoning Status as of Nov. 7, this year, Zamboanga City has been upgraded to Pink Zone after two years of being in the Red Zone, during which a total of 4,655 hogs had died from the disease, while 1,122 others had been culled.
The ASF has also affected 1,098 hog raisers from 34 barangays under the city’s seven Veterinary Districts. In a memorandum dated Nov. 7, 2023, Bureau of Animal Industry Director Paul C. Limson furnished all concerned local government units with the updated Zoning Map and Zoning Status of each city/municipality categorized according to the zoning plan, covering new ASF affected areas reported to the DA-BAI from Oct. 4 to Nov. 7, 2023.
Under the said memorandum, 395 cities, including Zamboanga City, and municipalities have been upgraded from Red to Pink Zone, and 72 others elevated from Pink to Yellow. In Region 9, the Pink Zones are Zamboanga City and the municipalities of Katipunan, La Libertad, Mutia, Polanco, Rizal, Sergio Osmeña Sr., Sibutad, Sirawai and Baliguian, all in Zamboanga del Norte; Aurora, Mahayag, Molave, Tambulig, Tukuran, Sominot, all in Zamboanga del Sur; Malangas, Naga, Titay and Tungawan, all in Zamboanga Sibugay. The Red Zones are Dapitan City, Dipolog City, the towns of Piñan, Sibuco and Siocon, all in Zamboanga del Norte; Ramon Magsaysay, Zamboanga del Sur; Alicia, Buug, Diplahan, Imelda, Ipil, Kabasalan, Payao, Roseller Lim and Siay, all in Zamboanga Sibugay.
The rest of the region are either Dark Green/Free Zone or Yellow/Surveillance Zone, according to the latest ASF watch. (Vic Larato, photo courtesy by Kathy Wee Sit/ OCVET)
(Source: City Government of Zamboanga Facebook page)