Zero ASF in QC, joint checkpoints with BAI continue – Belmonte

Quezon City Mayor Joy Belmonte accepting the Best NCR mayor award from the QCIJ first media awards held recently

MANILA, Philippines — The Quezon City government has maintained that there are no African Swine Fever (ASF) cases in the city as it intensified its prevention measures.

In support of the Department of Agriculture – Bureau of Animal Industry’s  (BAI) initiative to curb ASF, the QC Veterinary Department (QCVD) has set up livestock and poultry checkpoints on Pearl Drive along Commonwealth Avenue, Kaingin Road in Balintawak, Mindanao Avenue, Tandang Sora Avenue, and Paang Bundok in N.S. Amoranto.

The QCVD and BAI personnel check all livestock shipments passing through and entering the city to ensure that these are ASF-free.

Since the establishment of the checkpoints last week, the QCVD has inspected a total of 502 shipments, which all came from the provinces of Batangas and Quezon. Of the 502, 452 shipments were released and 46 were returned to origin due to lack of documents.

Four shipments were apprehended. A total of 188 pigs tested positive for ASF, which then were culled and buried.

The BAI and QCVD also held 153 swine for testing as the pigs had ASF symptoms.

“As a highly urbanized city, bawal ang piggery at livestock sa Quezon City kaya pinaiigting natin ang inspeksyon. Minabuti nating tumulong sa BAI para matiyak na hindi kumalat ang virus sa ibang lugar para hindi makaapekto at makapaminsala sa kabuhayan ng ating QCitizens,” Mayor Joy Belmonte said.

(Piggeries and livestock are prohibited in the city, but we have intensified our inspections. We decided to help the BAI to ensure that the virus will be controlled and will not harm the lives of QCitizens)

City veterinarians also conduct regular inspections of markets and groceries.

City Veterinarian Ana Marie Cabel said the certificates of all pork in markets and groceries are being checked to prevent ASF from entering the city.

The local government will also provide BAI with a two-hectare property which the agency will use as a holding area for trucks carrying hogs.

Quezon City, classified as a highly urbanized city, is prohibited from having piggery and poultry as stated in Housing and Land Use Regulatory Board (HLURB) Resolution No. R-674, S-2000.

In 2020, the city government and the QC Council started implementing City Ordinance 2990-2020, which bans piggeries and poultry farms for food production.

The ordinance imposes a penalty of P2,000 or imprisonment of three months or both at the discretion of the court for the first offense.

Second-time violators will pay P3,000 and will be imprisoned for five months. For the third offense, a fine of P5,000 and one-year imprisonment will be meted out.

Belmonte asked backyard hog growers to surrender their pigs immediately. The city will provide them with financial assistance in exchange for the pigs. Penalties will only be imposed on pig owners who have not complied with the directive by Aug. 31.

“We receive reports that some residents still continue to raise pigs as livelihood, but we are hoping they will turn over their pigs and the city through the City Council will help and support them,” Belmonte said.

Once the pigs are determined to be ASF-free, they will be turned over to the Department of Agriculture to be sold in Kadiwa Stores. If contaminated, the swine will be culled and buried.