FILE PHOTO: A pork meat shop in the market. A “pork holiday” is being enforced in 11 barangays in Southern Leyte to ensure that the African Swine Fever (ASF) would not spread. INQUIRER / GRIG C. MONTEGRANDE
TACLOBAN CITY — Eleven of 15 barangays in a coastal town in Southern Leyte might have had to forgo lechon (roasted pork) to welcome the New Year because a month-long “pork holiday” has been imposed on these villages in Silago town.
The pork holiday started on December 27 to ensure that the African Swine Fever (ASF) would not spread.
Silago Mayor Lemuel Honor issued Executive Order Number 41, declaring that slaughtering of hogs as well as selling of pork and other pork products from Barangays Katipunan, Imelda, Hingatugan, Salvacion, Laguma, Tubaon, Tubod, Poblacion District 1, Poblacion District 2, Puntana, and part of Sudmon were prohibited for a month to contain the ASF that was detected in these neighborhoods.
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The entry and exit of live hogs were also prohibited within the period.
“Only meat from ASF-free barangays are allowed to enter and supply the market needs of the affected barangays,” the order reads.
The local government has set up checkpoints to enforce the mayor’s pork holiday directive.
The ASF in the town was first detected in Barangays Tubod, Salvacion, and Puntana.
At least nine pigs in these villages tested positive based on the blood samples taken by the veterinary laboratory division of the Department of Agriculture on December 1.
Since then, Honor said there were about 60 pigs that tested positive for ASF.
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In an interview, the mayor said there were some hogs raisers who did not report cases of ASF.
Honor said those who would not obey lawful orders face confiscation of their swines.
According to the National Meat Inspection Service, ASF is a highly contagious viral disease that affects pigs, warthogs, and boars.
It causes pigs to have high fever and lose their appetite, and causes hemorrhages in the skin and internal organs.
Pigs die in a span of two to 10 days upon affliction. There is no known vaccine against ASF yet.