CITY OF SAN FERNANDO -- Senator Cynthia Villar on Wednesday, October 16, asked for the cooperation of hog raisers around the country, especially in Luzon, on the precautionary measures implemented by the government against the African Swine Fever (ASF).
Villar, who was the guest speaker during the Rotary inter-club meeting held at Hotel Gracelane, said coordination between the hog raisers and the government is necessary to prevent the further spread of ASF in other areas.
The senator asked commercial and backyard swine raisers to cooperate in the quarantine and culling operations implemented by the Department of Agriculture (DA).
The said measures are under the 1-7-10 protocol, which requires all pigs within a one-kilometer radius of infected farms be culled, while a surveillance of the animals within a seven-kilometer radius and a submission of mandatory report on the disease on pigs within the 10-kilometer radius be made.
"These are all implemented to ensure that the ASF virus will not spread in other areas, and protect other hog raisers and the industry in general," Villar said.
She assured the affected raisers that they will receive assistance from the national and local government for all the live pigs that will be culled during the period.
"The DA has already raised the compensation from P3,000 to P5,000 per head of pig and the local government will also provide assistance to the affected hog raisers so they don't need to worry," she said.