THE Cebu Provincial Government has temporarily banned the entry of pork and pork-related food products manufactured and sourced from areas in the provinces of Rizal and Bulacan.
The entry of pork and pork-related food products from other areas in the country will also be regulated, subject to permit compliance.
The Department of Agriculture (DA)-Crisis Management Team Bulletin 5 confirmed on Monday, Sept. 9, 2019, that some blood samples sent to England for testing came back positive of the African swine fever (ASF) virus. More than 7,000 pigs have been culled in Rizal and Bulacan provinces.
Agriculture Secretary William Dar said the affected areas are now considered “clear” of the disease.
On Wednesday, Sept. 11, Cebu Gov. Gwendolyn Garcia signed Executive Order (EO) 15, amending Sections 1 and 2 of EO 14, which she had signed last Aug. 22.
EO 14 prohibits the entry in Cebu Province “of pork and pork-related products and by-products, whether raw, processed or cooked, including, but not limited to, frozen boar semen, for a period of 100 calendar days and regulating the entry of live hogs through all ports in the province within the same period”.
The Philippine College of Swine Practitioners has defined ASF as a contagious viral disease, which exclusively infects pigs and wild boars.
The progression of the trans-boundary disease is rapid and upon infection, can progress within three to 14 days. ASF exhibits similar signs to other hemorrhagic diseases, but in contrast to pigs with hog cholera, those infected by the African fever virus do not develop conjunctivitis.
Under EO 15, locally produced pork from outside Cebu must have a meat inspection certificate from the National Meat Inspection Service (NMIS) and a Veterinary Shipping Permit (VSP).
Pork importers must secure a Certificate of Meat Inspection from the NMIS and the VSP.
EO 15 also regulates the entry of live hogs from different areas of Luzon, subject to the compliance of documentary veterinary quarantine requirements that include a veterinary health certificate and VSP from the point of origin, livestock handler’s permit from the DA, livestock and poultry transport/carrier registration form from the DA-Bureau of Animal Industry (BAI), certificate of vehicle registration from the DA, disinfection clearance (disinfection stub) from the DA-BAI and farm registration from the DA-BAI. (WBS with reports from RTF)