Zambo del Sur catches up with pork ban through new law

PAGADIAN CITY, ZAMBOANGA DEL SUR – The provincial board has passed a law banning the entry of pork and pork products from areas with known cases of African swine fever and other pig diseases.

Rogelio Saniel, board member and chair of the board’s commitee on agriculture and fisheries, said people carrying live pigs or pork and pork products into the province would need permit to bring these in from the quarantine office of the Department of Agriculture and a certificate from the provincial veterinarian’s office.

Pigs, pork, pork products coming in through airports and seaports would be confiscated if these came from areas or countries with ASF cases.

The provincial government has also formed a task force to oversee efforts to protect the local hog industry.

The task force would check all pig farms, pig holding facilities, slaughterhouses, wet markets and the overall trade of pork. It would also lead an information campaign on controlling and preventing the spread of ASF.

It would set rules to suspend or cancel licenses of hog raisers or pork suppliers who refused to heed protective measures.

The ordinance would impose a fine of up to P2,000 and imprisonment of at least two months on violators. Leah Agonoy/tsb