To ensure that Iloilo remains free of African swine fever (ASF), Governor Arthur Defensor, Jr. prohibits the entry of live hogs and pork products in the province.

Defensor issued on Thursday, Sept. 19, an executive order (EO) banning “swine, pork, pork products and by-products” from “countries and [areas] in the Philippines identified by the Department of Agriculture (DA) as positive for ASF.”

The governor said the temporary ban would protect the province from ASF.

“ASF is a threat to the swine industry and the food security of the province,” Defensor stressed.

The DA has confirmed the ASF outbreaks in the provinces of Rizal and Bulacan. While the ASF-affected countries include Latvia, Poland, Romania, Russia, Ukraine, Luxembourg, Belgium, Bulgaria, Moldova, Vietnam, Cambodia, Myanmar, Lao Peoples Democratic Republic, South Korea, and China.

Defensor also ordered strict veterinary quarantine procedures at the Iloilo International Airport and in seaports.

He said only those that comply with the regulatory requirements set by the Bureau of Animal Industry (BAI) would be allowed to enter Iloilo.

The requirements are as follows:

* veterinary health certificate (VHC) and veterinary shipping permit

* livestock handler’s permit

* livestock and poultry transport / carrier certificate

* certificate of vehicle registration

* disinfection clearance

* farm registration

EO No. 159 also stated that “all swine, pork, pork products and by-products shall be accompanied by National Meat Inspection Service (NMIS) or Local Government Unit Meat Inspection Certificate.”

Early this month, Defensor created the Iloilo Provincial African Swine Fever Task Force (IPASFTF).

The governor assured that the ban will not affect the supply of meat in Iloilo.

Defensor said the province’s pork requirements are sourced from Negros Occidental, Cagayan de Oro and Cebu.

ASF, according to NMIS, “is a highly contagious viral disease that affects pigs, warthogs, and boars.”

It causes pigs to have fever, loss of appetite, hemorrhages in the skin and internal organs, and even death.IMT