3 Eastern Visayas provinces ban pigs from areas with ASF cases

TACLOBAN CITY –– Three provinces in Eastern Visayas have banned the entry of live hogs, pork, and pork-related products from areas where there are confirmed cases of the African swine fever (ASF).

The governors of Eastern Samar, Northern Samar, and Southern Leyte said they needed to impose a ban on live hogs, pork, and pork-related products coming from Mindanao, Luzon, and countries, where there are ASF cases, to protect their provinces from a disease that has affected the hog industry.

Governor Edwin Ongchuan of Northern Samar, in his Executive Order 01-02-20, said only pork and other pork-related products coming from Eastern Visayas would be allowed to enter his province.

Those delivering live hogs, pork, and pork products should also present documents like a meat inspection certificate from the National Meat Inspection Service and veterinary shipping permit, among others.

The total ban on pigs and pork products in Northern Samar started last February 6 and would be implemented for 150 days.

Eastern Samar Governor Ben Evardone ordered the creation of quarantine checkpoints in the towns of Lawaan, Guiuan, Oras, Taft, and Arteche, where the major entrance points to the province are located.

The checkpoints, he said, would be manned by personnel of the municipal agricultural services, police, and barangay tanods.

Southern Leyte Governor Damian Mercado also issued Executive Order Number 5 last Feb. 3 to extend to another 100 days the total ban on pork and other pork-related products coming from Mindanao and Luzon.

“To prevent the ASF from entering the province of Southern Leyte and to protect the local hog industry, there is an immediate need to extend the total ban on the transportation of pork and pork-related products from Luzon and Mindanao,” Mercado said in his order.

“The entry of live hogs from Luzon and Mindanao into the province of Southern Leyte is hereby declared unlawful,” the order added./lzb