DESPITE facing a pandemic brought about by the coronavirus disease 2019 (Covid-19), the Cebu Provincial Government is not easing its measures against the African swine fever (ASF) as it is fatal to pigs and could deliver a blow to the swine industry in the province.
Gov. Gwendolyn Garcia on Monday, May 4, 2020, announced that the Provincial Government is extending its ban on the entry of live hogs, pork products and byproducts from Mindanao for an indefinite period or until Cebu is able to “conquer the coronavirus disease (Covid-19) crisis.”
In Cebu City, Mayor Edgardo Labella has allowed the entry of pigs from places not affected by ASF. However, Councilor Raymond Alvin Garcia, majority floor leader, passed a resolution asking the mayor to reconsider his decision; this was approved by the City Council. The local lawmaker and the governor are relatives.
Labella’s order
In a separate interview, Labella told Superbalita Cebu that he lifted the ban in an executive order dated April 28, and it is titled “An order exempting dark green zones or free zone from the ban on the entry of live hogs and pork products and byproducts into Cebu.”
Labella said Agriculture Secretary William Dar called him to thank him for lifting the ban. He based his order on the recommendation of the Inter-Agency Task Force on ASF and the Department of Agriculture’s mandate.
Ramil Lim, president of South Cotabato Swine Producers Association, welcomed Labella’s decision, saying the group has been “supplying live hogs and pork carcasses to Cebu City and the Province of Cebu for more than 30 years now.”
Before Labella implemented the ban on pork entry last year, the swine producers outside Cebu reportedly had been supplying eight refrigerated vans full of pork every week. (See business story on Page 10 about Bohol hog raisers’ concerns over Labella’s order.)
Meeting hog raisers
At the Capitol, the initial 90-day ban that Gov. Garcia had imposed last Feb. 13 was supposed to expire on May 11. Gov. Garcia met with local hog raisers on Monday afternoon, May 4, to discuss measures that will strengthen border controls against the ASF.
The governor said there is more than “101 percent” stock of pork produced by local hog raisers. She attributed the increase of stock to the drop in demand for pork over the past few months since the Covid-19 pandemic broke in the country.
Governor Garcia also clarified that the movement of cargo remains unimpeded amid the enhanced community quarantine. This is also in observance with the Inter-Agency Task Force on Emerging Infectious Disease protocol.
She made the pronouncement following concerns from supermarkets and groceries over the availability of pork goods.
The governor expressed her gratitude to Presidential Assistant for the Visayas Michael Dino for supporting the Province’s stand to protect the island of Cebu against the ASF by banning entry or pork from infected areas like Luzon and Mindanao, and even Eastern Visayas, which reportedly continues to receive products from Luzon.
She also thanked the Cebu City Council for passing a resolution requesting Mayor Edgardo Labella to adopt the Province’s order banning the entry of pork products and byproducts from Luzon, Mindanao and Eastern Visayas to prevent the spread and entry of the ASF in Cebu. (RTF & PAC)