NEGROS Occidental Provincial Board Member Manuel Frederick Ko has urged the residents of Negros Occidental to report to authorities if they spot any Chinese pork products that are still being sold in local markets.
Ko made the appeal after the government ordered all pork products from China to be pulled out from market shelves across the province.
According to Ko, their decision to pull out the Chinese pork products from local markets is only a precaution in order to protect the province’s hog industry.
“We are not sure if the pork products brought here have the disease or not, and besides, in other countries they have already banned them from being sold,” Ko said.
He also clarified the current ban only covers Chinese pork, while other Chinese meat products can still be safely consumed.
Earlier on Thursday, Provincial Veterinary Office head Dr. Renante Decena and Governor Eugenio Jose Lacson led the removal of Chinese pork products in major grocery stores in Bacolod City.
Among the brands ordered to be removed from market shelves include Narcissus, Heaven Temple, Ma Ling, Shabu Shabu, Sol Primo, Wang Taste of Korea, Highway, Sky Dragon, and Weilin.
Decena also assured the public there is no African swine fever in Negros Occidental.
The Department of Agriculture has also announced earlier that they have recorded several “suspicious” deaths of hogs in some areas of the country. (TDE)