SWINE DISPERSAL. Negros Oriental Board Member Woodrow Maquiling Sr. (2nd from right) distributes to beneficiaries in Mabinay in this undated photo piglets via his livelihood program. The legislator said the province reported zero ASF cases in the past two weeks. (Photo courtesy of BM Maquiling)
DUMAGUETE CITY – The province of Negros Oriental is heading towards the “green zone” should the current trend of having no new African swine fever (ASF) cases continue, an official said on Friday.
Board Member Woodrow Maquiling Sr., Sangguniang Panlalawigan committee on agriculture chair, told the Philippine News Agency (PNA) that the last ASF deaths were those reported some two weeks ago in Barangay Cadawinonan in this provincial capital.
“It appears that the ASF infections in the province have been contained with no new cases or deaths reported, but we are still not out of the loop unless otherwise declared by the Department of Agriculture,” he said.
The DA’s Bureau of Animal Industry (BAI) continues to monitor the affected areas since the first cases were detected in Barangay Maayong Tubig in Dauin town in May, he said.
Also, no new areas were added to the list of those that had reported ASF cases in recent weeks, the legislator said.
Aside from Maayong Tubig and Cadawinonan, authorities also listed Barangay Tubtubon as a “ground zero” area for the virus that affects hogs but does not pose threats to humans.
More or less 700 pigs were culled in the three areas before the downtrend.
Meanwhile, Maquiling said that while the ASF infections appear to die down, the public is still prohibited from bringing live pigs to areas within a 10-kilometer distance from where the cases were reported.
He said he was supposed to distribute 30 piglets to pre-identified beneficiaries in San Jose town, but was told it was not yet allowed as it was close to the affected Sibulan town.
Maquiling said he has 200 heads of piglets for distribution under his swine dispersal program in the second district to help alleviate backyard farmers, and the first 30 recipients were from Mabinay town.
The next stop for the livestock distribution will be in Bais City, he said. (PNA)
