LAMITAN City Mayor Roderick Furigay has ordered the imposition of additional mitigation measures as the African Swine Fever (ASF) infestation has escalated from three to nine villages in Lamitan City.
Furigay has directed the authorities in Lamitan City to strictly implement quarantine checkpoints in the affected villages prohibiting the entry and exit of live pigs, pork meat and pork products and other related items to contain the spread of ASF.
The implementation of quarantine checkpoints is in addition to the mitigating measures stipulated in Executive Order No. 2024-06 Basilan Governor Hadjiman Hataman-Salliman issued on Monday, June 3, imposing a temporary ban on the transport, entry, exit, and movement of all live pigs, pork, and pork-related products and by-products in Basilan, including Lamitan City.
Initially, pigs in the villages of Buahan, Bulingan, and Calugusan tested positive for ASF based on the results of laboratory tests released on May 31.
All of the eight blood samples sent on May 28 to the Regional Animal Disease Diagnostic Laboratory in Ipil, Zamboanga Sibugay, were found positive for ASF.
“We are still investigating since there are many possible reasons and causes as to the transmission of ASF to the affected barangays,” Dr. Bryan Azute, Lamitan City veterinarian, said in an interview.
Furigay said all of those affected by the ASF infestation are farmers who are involved in raising pigs in their backyard to earn additional income.
He said they raise and sell pigs to send their children to school and to raise money for other purposes like weddings, fiesta and Christmas celebrations.
“It’s their piggy bank…that is for the enrolment and graduation of their children,” he said.
Azute said they have so far registered 38 backyard raisers who were affected by the ASF infestation.
Furigay said they will extend financial assistance to those affected by the ASF infestation provided they have to submit their pigs for culling.
He said the maximum financial aid will be P2,500 per head.
He said they had already identified a secluded area where to bury the culled pigs. (SunStar Zamboanga)