MUNICIPALITIES in Benguet province have been urged to set up local quarantine checkpoints to protect the local swine industry from African Swine Fever (ASF).
During the inter-agency task group meeting at Benguet Capitol, Veterinarian 3 Anabelle Apse of the Provincial Veterinary Office urged stakeholders to set up local quarantine checkpoints and implement prohibition of swill feeding and entry of pigs from other provinces.
"We are asking the barangays and the local government unit's vigilance to report entry of pigs. This disease does not have present vaccine. We asked for the help of everyone in the implementation of no entry of pigs, to report to us and municipal agriculture offices," she said.
"Let us help each other to avoid the loss of pigs in the province," she added.
Apse announced a one kilometer depopulation was earlier made in ASF-positive areas in the province in order to prevent spread of the virus.
She also asked stakeholders to contact ASF hotline 09202473380.
The Animal Disease Diagnostic Reference Laboratory of the BAI confirmed ASF cases from Beckel, La Trinidad; Camp 1 in Tuba; as well as in Kalinga.
Meanwhile, Tublay Mayor Armando Lauro, in an executive order, temporarily banned the entry of live pigs, pork and pork byproducts into the municipality.
Lauro said there is a need to prevent the entry of live pigs, pork and pork by products in the municipality as a proactive measure to prevent contamination of ASF to swine in the municipality and to protect the general public from the ill effects of such animal disease.
The temporary ban stays until such time a formal declaration is made by
the Bureau of Animal Industry of the Department of Agriculture on the safety of the swine industry.
He also enjoined the Philippine National Police, Bureau of Fire Protection in Tublay, Municipal Agriculture Office, Municipal Disaster
Risk Reduction and Management Office and the eight barangay local governments to strictly enforce animal quarantine protocols and food
safety measures, including prohibition of swill feeding.