A TOTAL of 104 kilos of confiscated pork products were destroyed by fire Monday, Sept. 30, 2019, to prevent the entry of the African swine fever (ASF) in Cebu province.

The Environmental Management Bureau (EMB) of the Department of Environment and Natural Resources 7 led the incineration activity in Umapad, Mandaue City.

The pork products were confiscated by the Provincial Veterinary Office (PVO) recently to comply with the province ban on the entry of such goods from Luzon.

Dr. Mary Ann Gabona, Provincial Veterinary Office (PVO) animal health division head, said they are strictly monitoring the entry and exit of hogs and pork products in Cebu.

Among the confiscated products that were disposed of at the EMB 7 were chorizo, canned pork products, adobo and lechon.

Those destroyed were either confiscated or surrendered by small retail stores and persons who were stopped at entry points to Cebu.

Gabona said the volume of pork products from Luzon that were seized has gone down as more members of the ASF task force were deployed to ports and bus terminals.

She said “lechoneros” or those who roast pigs purchase their hogs outside of Cebu but not from Luzon. They also comply with requirements such as the veterinary health certificate, disinfection certificate, farm registration and registration of the vehicle that will carry the hogs.

Also being strictly implemented now is the registration of backyard hog raisers with the PVO.

Backyard hog raisers are those raising not more than 21 hogs and not more than 41 piglets. (ANV)