THE Department of Agriculture, through the Bureau of Animal Industry, has donated to the Zamboanga City Government a P3.4-million mobile disinfection truck as the agency strengthened its biosecurity measures to curb the spread of African Swine Fever (ASF) infection in Zamboanga City.
DA Regional Executive Director Dennis Arpia handed over Tuesday, November 8, the equipment to Mayor John Dalipe and Dr. Mario Arriola, city veterinarian, in a simple ceremony held at the Office of the City Veterinarian (OCVet) complex in San Roque village, Zamboanga City.
Arriola said the mobile disinfection truck will be used to disinfect livestock carriers, roads, farms and other ASF high-risk areas.
A signing of memorandum of agreement (MOA) between Dalipe, Arriola and Arpia stipulating the terms and conditions for the management of the disinfection truck highlighted the turnover ceremony at the OCVet complex.
Dalipe and Arriola thanked the DA-BAI for their continued support and assistance to the local government in its fight against ASF.
The two officials said the equipment will help the City Government, particularly the OCVet, intensify the campaign to achieve an ASF-free city.
This city remains under the red zone of the ASF classification with 4,646 hog mortalities recorded in 34 of this city’s 98 villages.
The number of hog raisers affected totaled 1,091 with 1,053 culled hogs. (SunStar Zamboanga)