Bacolod City – The exit points of highly urbanized Bacolod City will be closely monitored, as the provincial government is strictly imposing the ban on the entry of hogs and pork related products into neighboring local government units of Negros Occidental, Provincial Veterinarian Placeda Lemana disclosed recently.
Bacolod City has opened its borders to allow the entry of hogs, pork and its byproducts, which is contrary to the stand of the provincial government of Negros Occidental, which continues to impose a total ban.
Lemana said the monitoring will be concentrated in the towns and cities that border Bacolod City, such as the cities of Talisay, Bago, and the town of Murcia. Through this measure, Lemana pointed out the province intends to convey to its residents the importance and seriousness of the issue regarding the transportation of hogs and pork products.
The PVO chief added that they have already discussed the contents of the new protocols that would be enforced as well as those who will oversee it.
Gov. Eugenio Jose Lacson recently issued an executive order which prohibited the entry of hogs and pork products from Bacolod City, Negros Oriental, Luzon, Mindanao, Eastern Visayas, Panay Island, Guimaras Island, Cebu province, including Camotes and Bantayan Islands, and countries affected by ASF, as may be detected by the Department of Agriculture.
The entry of hogs and pork byproducts in ports, such as in Negros Occidental cities of San Carlos, Escalante and Cadiz, as well as the towns of E.B. Magalona and Pulupandan will be prohibited, the EO stated.
“All ports, under the supervision of the province, will strictly follow the no-entry zone for pork products coming from red zones,” Lacson stressed.
Victorias City Mayor Javier Miguel Benitez, also president of Negros Occidental Association of Chief Executives,said he is supporting the position of Gov. Lacson to continue the ban of pork and pork products from eight areas, from entering Negros Occidental.
“It cannot not be done in an instant. Because when you allow everything to enter once again we may get the ASF again. We can build and grow again slowly. We should find alternatives while there is still a ban,” he pointed out.
While Victorias City has been free from African Swine Fever in the past two months, Benitez, however, said that the city is not yet certified as ASF-free. (Gilbert Bayoran via The Visayan Daily Star (TVDS), photo courtesy of TVDS)