[NOTE: This story was first published on December 8, 2019 in The Bohol Chronicle’s Sunday print edition.]
The ban on the entry of live hogs, meat whether raw or processed as well as pork-related products to Bohol has been extended.
While Executive Orders Number 7 and 8 on August 20, 2019, and Executive Order No. 22 on September 19 has mandated a temporary ban on the transportation of pork and pork-related products as well as its entry or the entry of swine feeds from Luzon for a period of 100 days, Executive Order No 55 series of 2019 signed by Governor Arthur Yap November 15, has extended the implementation of Executive Orders 7 and 22 until June 30, 2019.
The new executive order said based on the latest advisory of the Department of Agriculture, the African Swine Fever virus has now spread in more areas in Luzon.
The increase in the number of affected areas in Luzon is just an indication that the ASF situation has not yet been contained, the EO contended.
With the onset of the Christmas holidays and the low prices of hogs and pork meat products has made it’s attractive and tempting for entrepreneurs and even travelers to bring in pork and pork meat products to Bohol from Luzon, considering the accessibility through the Philippine Trans-national Highway and the linking ferry services.
With the stakes too high considering the over 50,000 hog growers and producers in Bohol, most of them backyard raisers, we have to exercise diligent restraint, bared Bohol Provincial Veterinarian Dr. Stella Marie Lapiz.
Bohol backyard raisers account to 86% production and the annual 50,501 metric tons of pork meat produced accounts to 82% of the total meat supply here, Dr. Lapiz stressed.
One single case of ASF in Bohol, and it would have the potency to wipe out the entire hog industry and that would be devastating to the thousands of industry workers and backyard growers whose income come from hog raising, the female vet who has led Bohol into its pro-active stance against the disease explained.
With the extension of the temporary ban, the governor has also called on the stakeholders to continue the effectivity and enforcement of the unaffected provisions of EO 7 and 22 and all other provisions of OE 7 and 22 in so far as they are consistent with the new EO remains to the in full force and effect, the EO stated. (rahc/PIA-7/Bohol)