THE Department of Agriculture (DA)-Western Visayas urged all the backyard hog raisers in Bacolod City to implement biosecurity and apply for insurance for their pigs.
City Legal Officer Romeo Carlos Ting, Jr., who held a meeting with the barangay officials and representatives for DA-Western Visayas on Wednesday, May 24, at the Bacolod City Government Center, said some of the barangay officials had already submitted their initial lists of backyard hog raisers operating within their areas of jurisdiction.
He said that according to the DA, backyard hog raisers should have biosecurity for the safety of their pigs, and they should apply for insurance since Bacolod City is still free of hog cholera and African swine fever (ASF).
“They can insured their pigs so that in case of any untoward incident, they can avail a cash aid,” he added.
Ting noted that the insurance company is a government-controlled corporation and they will coordinate with the barangays to determine those who are willing to apply.
Ting said the implementation of biosecurity is one of the requirements so they can apply for insurance of their pigs.
He said the City Veterinarian Office was also tasked to gather the documents of the backyard hog raisers in various barangays so they can assist them for their insurance application.
Moreover, the city government also received a truck sprayer from the DA for the disinfection of backyard hog raisers facilities.
Ting said the backyard hog raisers can make a request for the disinfection of their area.
Meanwhile, Ting said Mayor Alfredo Abelardo Benitez is also planning to form a separate task force to do a border inspection in Bacolod City.
Aside from the Task Force Botagoy and ASF, he said there will be another team to monitor the entry of pigs in Bacolod City.
This, after hog cholera cases were already reported in Negros Occidental.*