IN A bid to prevent the further spread of the African Swine Fever (ASF) in Cagayan de Oro City, Councilor Jay Roa Pascual has proposed an ordinance that would regulate the transport of livestock and sanction violators.
According to Pascual, around 1,269 hogs were slaughtered in five barangays in Cagayan de Oro. Of the figure, 432 were in Barangay Mambuaya, affecting 125 hog raisers; 555 were in Barangay San Simon, affecting 130 farmers; 137 were in Barangay Baikingon; 76 were in Barangay Macasandig; and 69 are in Barangay Agusan.
The councilor said the city's hog raisers are panicking and selling their pigs to their neighbors and lechoneros, wary that their respective barangays will be hit next by ASF.
Pascual, who chairs the City Council’s agriculture committee, said the transport of livestock should be regulated as even if there are pigs that were uninfected by the virus, they still need to be culled since they are within the 100-meter radius of the confirmed infected hogs.
Furthermore, there is a temporary price drop of pork products in the city, he added.
If the transport of livestock is left unregulated, Pascual said the ASF virus will spread to other areas and can threaten the food security of Cagayan de Oro.