ANGELES CITY -- Mayor Carmelo "Pogi" Lazatin, Jr. on Thursday, August 15, 2024, ordered the setting up of checkpoints across the city to ensure that it will remain free from African swine fever or ASF.
In Memorandum Order No. 1788, Series of 2024, Lazatin instructed the Angeles City Police Office headed by Colonel Amado Mendoza, Jr. and the Angeles City Traffic Development Office led by Francis Pangilinan to establish checkpoints for inspection of delivery trucks entering the city, which are possibly transporting livestock from ASF-positive areas from Batangas and Bulacan provinces.
"This preventive measure is to ensure that the city is free from ASF. Dahil nakasalalay po rito ang kalusugan, kaligtasan, at kabuhayan ng ating mga kababayan," Lazatin reiterated.
Lazatin said the city government is one with the Department of Agriculture (DA) in combatting the spread of ASF.
The mayor sais the agency already put up checkpoints across Luzon borders.
In the same memorandum, Lazatin urged that all hog dealers who will enter the city must present
Certificate of Free Status on ASF, Vaccination Record from Veterinarian, and Shipping Permit.
In line with this, the City Meat Inspection Division, headed by Executive Assistant Reina Manuel, and the City Veterinary Office, headed by Dr. Christian Arcilla, were also tasked by the mayor to support the border controls.
Lazatin's Chief Adviser, IC Calaguas, said the City Slaughterhouse, which is also being supervised by Manuel, complies with the necessary documents needed for hog dealers having official transactions with the slaughterhouse.
"Mayor Lazatin wants to be vigilant as ever. Angeles City is ASF-free, and the mayor wants to keep it that way," Calaguas said.