MAGALANG -- Another processed meat producer in Pampanga has assured the public that its products are free from African Swine Fever (ASF).
Roel's Food Corporation (Roel's) issued the statement amid the ASF scare, which affected pork meat products manufacturers and dealers.
"Your health matters to us. Roel's products are safe for your family," the food corporation stated in its public notice entitled Real Rich Taste and Safe.
It said raw materials used in processing its products come from an ASF-free country and were issued Sanitary and Phyto Sanitary Import Clearance by the Bureau of Animal Industry.
Products are also strictly inspected by the National Meat Inspection Service, according to the Roel's management.
All finished products are certified by the Food and Drug Administration, the company added.
Magalang Mayor Romulo Pecson is the owner of Roel's Food Corporation, which maintains its plant in Mabalacat City.
Hog growers are claiming lost revenues of around P10 billion in just two months after the appearance of ASF on farms in Luzon.
Meat processors said they will not purchase pork from domestic market to assure the public about their products' safety.
Rex B. Agarraddo, spokesman of the Philippine Association of Meat Processors Inc. (Pampi), said it is safer for the meat processors not to buy pork from local farmers until they are able to assure the government and the consumers that local hogs are ASF-free.
Meat processors are struggling against government restrictions on the movements of their products.
Pampi stated that the industry expects to lose P40 billion in sales if its products do not regain freedom of movement in time for the yearend holidays, the peak sales season for meat products like hams.
The sales of pork-based products dropped by 40 percent following the ASF virus scare, the meat processors association added.