PPA Bohol ‘101% serious’ in imposing pork ban

The Philippine Ports Authority (PPA), which oversees the most number of human and cargo entry into Bohol, assured that they are all out in imposing the ban on the importation of live hogs and pork products as part of efforts to thwart the spread of the African swine fever (ASF).

According to PPA Bohol manager Engr. James Gantalo, they are assisting local agriculture authorities in detecting and confiscating pork products which are being slipped in through the various ports of the province.

courtesy of the Office of the Provincial Veterinary

“101 percent ta nag-comply ug nagseryoso sa pag tabang,” he said.

Gantalao said that port personnel and local agriculture authorities have seized cooked pork and pork products such as longganisa and chicharon and other processed pork in the ports of Jagna, Getafe, Tagbilaran and Ubay.

The Office of the Provincial Veterinary and other concerned agencies have deployed personnel to the province’s ports to enforce the ban in accordance with Governor Arthur Yap’s Executive Order No. 7 as amended by Executive Order No. 22.

PPA authorities have been distributing leaflets containing information on the dreaded ASF.

Gantalao also coordinated with terminal managers in various localities for them to regularly announce through their public address (PA) systems that live hogs, pork and pork related products are barred from entering Bohol.

“Nagsulat na ta sa mga terminal managers nato,” he said.

As stipulated in EO 22 however only live hogs, pork and pork related products transported directly from Luzon are totally banned. The same products from Visayas and Mindanao may enter Bohol given that these come with certification from the proper authorities including the Bureau of Animal and Industry.

The total ban was imposed after ASF outbreaks were confirmed in Luzon particularly Rizal, Bulacan and Quezon City.

Yap, who is a former agriculture secretary, has repeatedly pointed out that his preemptive stand against ASF was made to protect the 50,000 backyard hog raisers of Bohol who partly comprise the province’s swine industry which he valued at P6 billion. (AD)