The Department of Agriculture (DA) on Thursday said some of the hogs from farms that were ravaged by a “mysterious” disease have been transported to other parts of the country.
Agriculture Secretary William D. Dar said the agency is now investigating how this happened. He did not provide more details.
“Some hogs [from affected farms] have been transferred to other areas. That has happened. These hogs have reached some provinces,” Dar said in a mix of Filipino and English during a live television interview on Thursday morning.
The movement of pigs happened despite the DA’s implementation of a total lockdown and control of the areas affected by “one of the major economic diseases” seen in the animals.
The DA is observing the “1-7-10” principle which entails the set up of a control zone, quarantine zone and surveillance zone within the 1-kilometer, 7-km and 10-km radius of the suspected infected farm.
New order
Dar issued on Thursday Administrative Order (AO) 4 which reiterated the need for local government units (LGU) to implement more stringent food safety measures and veterinary quarantine procedures.
The AO was addressed to provincial veterinary offices (PVOs), city veterinary offices (CVOs), municipal veterinary offices (MVOs) and municipal agriculture offices (MAOs).
“In view of the reported increasing swine mortalities, all PVOs, CVOs, MVOs, MAOs are reminded to continue implementing precautionary measures to ensure food safety and food security,” Dar said in the AO.
Under the AO, Dar ordered that all animals brought to slaughterhouses should be checked for fever and signs of diseased conditions.
Dar also reminded all meat vendors to display the National Meat Inspection Service or LGU Meat Inspection Certificate (MIC) to prove that their products have been inspected.
“[Sans the] MIC, the carcasses shall be considered as hot meat and shall be confiscated, condemned and properly disposed as per BAI [Bureau of Animal Industry] procedure,” he added.
Dar reiterated that live pigs without veterinary health certificates shall not be allowed for slaughter.
“All suspected animals will be put on ‘On Hold Status’ and must be reported immediately to BAI Quarantine Office,” he added.
Aid to raisers
Dar assured raisers that they will be compensated for the hogs will be culled by the government and will get assistance that will allow them to immediately recover their losses.
“The DA will extend cash assistance to them. The government will give 50 percent of the assistance once we get the hogs and give the remaining half after the hogs are buried,” he said.
“We will also give assistance once the area is already ready for rearing, when it has been disinfected and the DA finds that the virus is not present there anymore. Raisers will get piglets,” he added.
In a statement on Thursday, Senate President Pro Tempore Ralph Recto said the government must prepare a financial package for farmers that would incur losses due to the mysterious hog disease.
Recto said the financial assistance should not be only shouldered by the DA but also by other government agencies, as well.
“We must be ahead of the curve. We should be ready for every imaginable scenario. If there is mass culling, what other types of assistance should be given to hog raisers? As early as now, there should quiet pencil pushing to determine expenses,” Recto said.
“Of all the powers of the DA secretary, the power to appropriate or to release allotments is not one of them. It is something that is discussed in the highest levels of government, in the Cabinet, in both houses of Congress, more so if it requires a huge amount of money and bridge financing,” he added.
Image credits: Bloomberg