* Cebu Gov. Pamela Baricuatro signed Executive Order 44 on Aug. 20, 2026, extending the province's ban on live hogs and pork products from Negros Island and ASF-affected areas for 45 days.
* Acting Negros Oriental Provincial Veterinary Office chief Vernon Lumbania confirmed active African swine fever infections in Bindoy, Pamplona, and Siaton as of Aug. 20, 2026, with scheduled culling in affected areas.
* Executive Order 44 mandates tightened inspections at all Cebu ports and orders local swine farms to enforce strict biosecurity measures, following multiple intercepted shipments of illegal hogs from Negros.
THE Cebu Provincial Government has extended its ban on live hogs, pork and pork products from areas affected by African swine fever (ASF) for another 45 days, particularly those from Negros Island, where cases continue to rise.
Gov. Pamela Baricuatro signed Executive Order (EO) 44 on Thursday, Aug. 20, 2026, extending the restriction first imposed under EO 39. The earlier 45-day ban expired on Friday, Aug. 21.
EO 44 still covers commercial and personal shipments of live hogs, fresh or frozen pork and processed pork products from Negros Island and other ASF-affected areas.
The new order states that “Negros Island’s proximity to Cebu and the regular movement of persons and goods require heightened vigilance at all ports and points of entry.”
The restriction is meant to reduce the risk of ASF reaching Cebu, where an outbreak could affect hog farms, disrupt the pork supply and hurt the province’s hog industry.
ASF is a viral disease that affects pigs. Cebu’s response has focused on keeping potentially infected animals and pork products from crossing into the province while tightening biosecurity within local farms.
Active infections remain in Negros Oriental
The extension comes as ASF cases continue in Negros Oriental. Bindoy became the latest municipality there to detect the disease.
Acting Negros Oriental Provincial Veterinary Office (PVO) chief Vernon Lumbania said Bindoy, Pamplona and Siaton were the three local government units with active ASF cases as of Aug. 20, according to a Philippine News Agency report.
Provincial data show infections have been detected in several areas, although the number of positive samples varies widely.
Siaton recorded 31 positive results from 34 samples. Pamplona had 28 positive and five negative results from 33 samples, while Bindoy had five positive and five negative samples.
Other previously affected areas also recorded substantial numbers of positive samples. Amlan had 24 positive results from 55 samples, while Tanjay City recorded 39 positive and five negative samples.
Bayawan City had 32 positive and 46 negative results from 78 samples, and Zamboanguita recorded six positive and 11 negative samples.
Lumbania said transmission had been contained in previously affected areas other than Bindoy, Pamplona and Siaton through stricter biosecurity measures intended to stop the virus from spreading to nearby barangays.
La Libertad, Dauin, Mabinay, Canlaon City, Santa Catalina and Valencia had earlier recorded ASF cases but have since produced negative results from blood samples taken from pigs, he said.
Culling of infected pigs in affected areas has also been scheduled.
Cebu keeps border controls in place
Cebu Province began tightening its defenses against ASF in June as infections were detected on Negros Island.
On June 26, Baricuatro issued EO 36, which strengthened border controls and called for random checkpoints. Local government units were also ordered to activate their ASF task forces and step up inspections at entry points.
The Province followed that measure with EO 39 on July 7, imposing a 45-day ban on live hogs, fresh pork and processed pork products from Negros Island and other ASF-affected areas. The order came after confirmed infections were reported in Bacolod City, Negros Occidental, and La Libertad, Negros Oriental.
At the time, Negros Occidental officials had reported 1,902 pig deaths from various diseases across 12 local government units as of June 25. Officials cautioned that not all the deaths could be linked to ASF because many of the animals were not tested.
EO 39 allowed the province to reassess the restrictions depending on ASF developments and advisories from the Department of Agriculture (DA) and Bureau of Animal Industry (BAI). EO 44 now extends those controls for another 45 days.
Shipments face tighter inspection
Under the new order, the Cebu PVO, law enforcement agencies, port authorities and local government units must strengthen inspections at airports, wharves, roll-on/roll-off facilities and private landing areas.
Authorities may inspect and verify shipments and vehicles reasonably suspected of carrying prohibited or regulated goods.
“Unauthorized or prohibited shipments shall be denied entry, confiscated, returned, disposed of, or otherwise handled under applicable laws, rules, and regulations,” EO 44 said.
Several attempts to bring hogs from Negros into Cebu were recorded during the first 45-day ban, showing the difficulty of enforcing the restriction across multiple coastal entry points.
On July 8, a vessel reportedly carrying hogs tried to dock in Ronda but turned back after police intervened. That same day, authorities intercepted 42 hogs at Tangil Wharf in Dumanjug and returned them to Negros Oriental for violating the ban.
Two piglets brought from Negros into Barangay Tuble, Moalboal, on Aug. 9 were returned the following day after local officials learned of their entry.
On Aug. 13, authorities intercepted 104 live hogs worth about P520,000 at a port in Barangay Poblacion, Badian. The animals had arrived by motorized boat from the Negros Island Region and were later euthanized and buried.
Farms ordered to strengthen biosecurity
The Province is also requiring preventive measures inside Cebu’s swine farms, slaughterhouses and livestock trading operations.
EO 44 calls for restrictions on nonessential personnel entering farms, disinfection of vehicles and equipment and proper documentation for animal transfers. Hog raisers must immediately report pigs showing symptoms associated with ASF to local veterinarians.
These measures are intended to reduce the chance of the disease spreading if an infected animal or contaminated material reaches the province despite border controls.
The Cebu PVO will continue monitoring the ASF situation in Cebu and nearby areas. Its assessment will consider DA and BAI advisories, laboratory and surveillance results, epidemiological developments and other risk factors.
Those findings will determine whether the restrictions are modified, lifted or extended again. / CDF