In the Face of ASF, Bataan tightens watch on entry of hog meat
BALANGA CITY, Bataan — This city and Pilar town on Friday tightened watch on the entry of hog meat that might be infected with the African Swine Fever (ASF).
Animal quarantine checkpoints were set up in the entry points of the two areas surrounded by towns already affected by the hog virus.
Balanga City and Pilar are between the virus-infected towns of Abucay and Orion. Aside from these two, other towns reported with ASF were Dinalupihan, Hermosa, Orani, and Samal.
Bataan has 11 towns and a lone city.
Arjay Barcenas, a staff at the Balanga City veterinary office, said they started manning the checkpoint Thursday with the help of police officers.
He said carriers of hog meat have to present various documents like veterinary health certificate, certificate of meat inspection and other papers signed by a government veterinarian.
Upon learning on Thursday that their neighboring town Orion was already ASF-infected, Pilar Mayor Carlos Pizarro Jr. immediately ordered the inspection of all backyard piggeries and the only commercial farm in his area.
He said he also instructed officials in 19 barangays to tighten their watch even on backyard piggeries.
“Combined effort ng Balanga City at Pilar para hindi na makapasok ang ASF sa amin (It is a combined effort of Balanga City and Pilar so that ASF cannot enter our areas),” Pizarro said. (PNA)
