September 5, 2022

Bulacan, Phillippines keeps hog farms under watch following ASF confirmation

Officials in Bulacan, the Philippines, have been monitoring local hog farms after a case of African swine fever (ASF) in Sta. Maria town caused Aurora province to ban pork from Bulacan.

Governor Daniel Fernando ordered on September 1 a strict monitoring of farms as he assured the public that the meat products from Bulacan remained safe for consumption. The governor dismissed reports that ASF had wreaked havoc on the local hog industry, noting that the ASF infection in Sta. Maria had been isolated and was under control.

Dr. Voltaire Basinang, provincial veterinarian, said they detected no other ASF cases in Bulacan, and several hog farms had reopened since the first case in 2019.

Aurora had issued a ban on the entry of live swine and pork products from provinces with cases of ASF.

Dr. Basinang said such a ban would not affect Bulacan’s hog raisers, as local hog raisers are supplying live swine and pork products to Metro Manila and Bulacan-based customers.

- Inquirer