The Mandaue City Veterinary Office (MCVO) pulled out pork products manufactured from Luzon that was displayed in grocery shelves across the city.
Dr. Karen Merilles, MCVO head, said that these pork products from Luzon are not allowed to be displayed and will be sent back to their supplier.
Due to the outbreak of African Swine Fever (ASF), the Mandaue City Veterinary Office has been cautious in monitoring pork products that had been sold in the market.
Due to this, the MCVO conducted Information, Education and Communication (IEC) to the managers of groceries and supermarkets in the city to comply with the Provincial Executive Order 13, 13A and 14.
MCVO also advised managers that they will regularly visit their establishments to monitor if they are selling pork products that came from Luzon.
Merilles said the managers of these supermarkets are already aware of the executive order and has attended the meeting with Cebu Gov. Gwen Garcia.
But they claimed that the policy only focuses on canned pork products.
“Some of them doesn’t know that siomai and siopaowere included,” Merilles added.
Merilles has not given an estimate volume of the pork products that were pulled out.
She clarified that they are not confiscating the pork products being pulled-out from supermarkets yet these products will be returned to the supplier by the owner.
They are also monitoring all Mandaue's ports to check if there are some persons who are smuggling meat from Luzon via boat.
Each ports were monitored by the Department of Agriculture, Philippine Coast Guards and representatives from Mandaue City.
The MCVO is currently coordinating with other local government units such as Consolacion to protect their borders against the entry of live hogs from Luzon.
Merilles also encouraged the barangays to report any suspected diseases especially African Swine Fever or even other diseases for them to conduct investigation immediately.(SunStar Cebu)