Benitez, who signed the EO on October 14, 2022, said the ASF is a highly contagious hemorrhagic viral disease with very high mortality rates affecting hogs and swine but harmless to human health.
He said Bacolod City is one of the cities in Western Visayas that has maintained its status as being ASF-free.
“There is a need to strengthen the current policy of the city in monitoring, inspection and border control in order to prevent entry of ASF swine products in our city,” he added.
The mayor noted that it is imperative that a task force is created to spearhead the tasks involved to effectively address and devise measures to ensure the city is safe against ASF.
The Task Force ASF included the mayor as the chairperson; City Veterinarian Dr. Agueda Trinidad dela Torre, vice-chairperson; and its members including City Administrator Atty. Pacifico Maghari III, City Agriculturist Atty. Goldwyn Nifras, and Councilor Celia Matea Flor, chairperson of the City Council committee on markets and slaughterhouses.
The whole province including Bacolod City earlier imposed a ban for the entry of live pigs, pork meat and byproducts from Panay and Guimaras islands following the reported suspected case of ASF in Iloilo.
At least 20,000 worth of pork byproducts were returned to the sender in Iloilo City after it arrived through a roll-on-roll-off (roro) vessel at the Bredco Port in Bacolod City on October 15 and 16.*