The Bureau of Animal Industry granted Recognition of Active Surveillance for African Swine Fever certification to 16 Cebu cities and towns, allowing backyard pig farmers to sell and ship livestock outside their local areas without negative tests.
Provincial Veterinary Office head Dr. Mary Rose Vincoy stated in an interview on Tuesday, August 4, 2026, that the certification cuts through time-consuming paperwork and costly fees for local hog raisers.
Governor Pamela Baricuatro issued Executive Order No. 39 on July 7 establishing a 45-day temporary ban on live pigs, pork, and processed pork items from Negros Island that is set to expire on August 21.
BACKYARD pig farmers in 16 Cebu cities and towns can now sell and ship their livestock outside their local areas much faster and at a lower cost.
The Bureau of Animal Industry (BAI) has officially granted these local government units (LGUs) the Recognition of Active Surveillance for African Swine Fever (RAS-ASF) certification. This landmark milestone comes as Cebu successfully maintains its African Swine Fever (ASF)-free status through strong laboratory testing, constant monitoring, and strict border rules.
For backyard hog raisers, the new certification cuts through time-consuming paperwork and costly fees. Instead of paying for separate health clearances and ASF laboratory tests for every single pig delivery, farmers in certified towns can now use their LGU’s official certification to transport and sell their livestock outside their municipalities.
"The advantage ani is that kung matagaan ang usa ka lungsod og RAS-ASF certificate from the Bureau of Animal Industry, ang kanang hog raiser diha makabaligya outside of Cebu nga dili na mag-kinahanglan og negative test (The advantage of this is that if a town is given a RAS-ASF certificate from the Bureau of Animal Industry, hog raisers there can sell outside Cebu without needing a negative test for every shipment)," Provincial Veterinary Office (PVO) head Dr. Mary Rose Vincoy said in an interview Tuesday, Aug. 4, 2026.
The RAS-ASF certificate serves as both an official health document and laboratory proof that the virus is not present in the area.
The 16 newly certified LGUs include:
Island & Coastal Municipalities: Bantayan, Madridejos, Santa Fe, Pilar, Tudela, San Francisco, Poro, Cordova, Tuburan, Liloan, and San Fernando.
Component Cities: Carcar, Bogo, Mandaue, and Talisay.
More towns are expected to join the list soon. Several LGUs—including Borbon, Tabuelan, Tabogon, San Remigio, and Barili—have already submitted blood samples to the BAI and are waiting for their certification results.
Even with Cebu staying free of ASF, local health officials are not letting their guard down. The Provincial Veterinary Office works alongside town and city veterinarians to collect weekly blood samples and perform regular checks before certificates expire.
Because risk levels can change, local teams analyze blood samples using advanced RT-PCR testing at the Department of Agriculture Central Visayas' Regional Animal Disease Diagnostic Laboratory. Surveillance covers all 51 municipalities and component cities under provincial jurisdiction, including long-standing ASF-free areas like Bantayan and the Camotes Islands.
"We immediately verify reports from the ground. If an initial assessment warrants it, we dispatch an outbreak investigation team consisting of veterinarians and medical technologists," Vincoy said.
While backyard raisers rely on their LGU's status, larger commercial swine farms must still get a separate Certificate of Free Status for African Swine Fever (CFS-ASF) directly from the BAI Central Office before shipping hogs.
To shield the province's vital pork industry from nearby threats, Governor Pamela Baricuatro issued Executive Order No. 39 on July 7. The order created a 45-day temporary ban on live pigs, pork, and processed pork items coming from Negros Island following reported ASF cases in Bacolod City, Negros Occidental, and La Libertad, Negros Oriental.
The temporary border ban is set to expire on Aug. 21. While local officials are discussing a possible extension, Vincoy noted that the final decision rests with Governor Baricuatro as Cebu continues its fight to keep its livestock safe and healthy. /CDF