THE Provincial Veterinary Office (PVO) of Negros Occidental has urged the Alliance of Hog Raisers Association of Negros Occidental (Ahrano) to increase its membership as a measure to further strengthen the province’s efforts against the possible entry of African Swine Fever (ASF).

Provincial Veterinarian Renante Decena, in a meeting with members of the alliance at the PVO Building in Bacolod City on Tuesday, April 6, also urged each member to intensify their vigilance especially those in border areas that can be an entry point of the dreaded virus affecting swine.

Decena said more membership would mean sufficient manpower to safeguard their respective areas against the growing online selling of pork products, which is perceived to be one of the main causes of ASF spread.

“The province continues to implement ASF prevention and control measures through one, conducting simultaneous activities like information and education campaigns, enhancement of biosecurity measures and practices in all swine production facilities, and strengthening of quarantine measures implementation in all ports of entry,” he added.

These are on top of other measures conducted by the Provincial ASF Task Force like creation of Livestock Transport Registration Team which aims to harmonize the hog transport regulation.

These are all geared toward keeping Negros Occidental a “green zone” or free from ASF, Decena said.

Decena said the transport regulation effort was realized through the collaboration and support of the members of the hog raisers in the province.

“They are the task force’s lookouts in the barangay level, as they are the major stakeholders who are expected to be greatly affected in case ASF enters the province,” he said.

Ahrano, meanwhile, is a PVO-assisted organization.

The PVO involves its members in the efforts toward keeping the ASF-free status of the province and for it to remain as a major source of live hogs for Luzon and other neighboring provinces.

Maintaining Negros Occidental a “green zone” province is seen to benefit hog raisers, boost the local hog industry, and further contribute to the economic growth especially amid the pandemic.