ASF breaks out in Zambo

THE OUTBREAK of African swine fever has forced the local government to ban the transport or entry of live hogs and pork products, including its by-products from several villages affected by the disease which is deadly to pigs.

The Office of the City Veterinarian (OCVET) has requested the police and military to put up a checkpoint in several villages here to prevent the spread of the virus. The local government also maintains another checkpoint in the village of Licomo at the boundary of Zamboanga Sibugay province. 

As Zamboanga battles the spread of the African swine fever, Mayor Beng Climaco has urged hog raisers to register with the local government to be able get indemnity for every pig culled due to the disease. 

Climaco held an emergency meeting with the Department of Agriculture (DA) Executive Director Rad Donn Cedeño, Assistant Regional Director Melba Wee, City Veterinarian Dr. Mario Arriola and Livestock and Poultry Board Chairman Eric Harina to discuss efforts in helping hog raisers affected by the ASF breakout in the villages of Canucutan in Pasonanca and Mangusu. 

Harina said his group is willing to help facilitate the insurance registration of hog raisers for insurance. 

“We coordinated for registration of livestock raisers because we really want to mitigate the ASF and assist our hog raisers,” Climaco said, adding the insurance premium is free and hog raisers just need to register to avail the program. 

The insurance program is a localized version of the DA’s livestock insurance program which offers free premium payments for backyard raisers and discounted premium for commercial hog raisers, and increased indemnity payments for culled pigs. 

Arriola said they are also looking for funds to assist the affected hog raisers, and campaign for the registration of animal or livestock farms. He said the City Ordinance 566 grants indemnification to hog raisers for their animals culled due to diseases like ASF, the amount of which will depend on the pig species. 

He said these mitigating measures would redound to reduction of prices of livestock, such as chickens and pigs, due to the ASF outbreak, and to address the possible shortage of meat supply. 

Arriola also urged the public not to resort to panic buying and for businessmen not to jack up prices of pork products. He said they are coordinating with the DA and the Department and Trade and Industry to intensify the price monitoring of pork products and strengthen surveillance and census initiatives. 

Members of the Zamboanga City African Swine Fever Task Force also convened to address the issues and concerns surrounding the unusual pig mortalities since April in the villages of Pasonanca, Pasobolong and Mangusu.

The DA reiterated its call to all concerned:

1 – For small backyard raisers – Report to your City, Municipal or Provincial veterinarian any sign of disease or deaths of pigs in their area. Refrain from swill feeding, particularly those from airlines, hotels and restaurants. Do not slaughter sick or dead pigs and sell the meat to traders;

2 – For traders – not to buy and slaughter sick pigs. Any backyard or illegal slaughtering, or use of meat from infected pigs will contribute to the spread of the disease, and will only result to further deaths, and losses to the P260-billion swine industry that supports millions of Filipinos.3 – For the public – Pork is safe to eat. When buying pork in the market or meat shops, always look for the seal and certificate issued by the National Meat Inspection Service. 

Climaco has ordered a strict border control to prevent the entry of the deadly hog disease and underscores the need for the immediate adaptation of the National African Swine Fever prevention program to protect Zamboanga from the dreaded animal disease and protect the swine industry and stakeholders. 

City veterinary personnel continue to inspect and conduct disinfection of trucks transporting live pigs and other animals to Zamboanga to protect the hog population against the ASF, according to the mayor, adding strict protocols are also being observed to monitor and regulate the entry of hog and pork products here as a measure against the spread of the contagious animal disease 

The ASF virus is transmitted by direct contact, ingestion of garbage or swill feeds containing unprocessed infected pig meat or pig meat products, ticks and biting flies, and contaminated premises, vehicles, equipment and clothing. While not a human health threat, the ASF is capable of annihilating the entire swine industry. As of yet, no vaccine or treatment exists to combat the virus. (Zamboanga Post, Mindanao Examiner)