TAGUM CITY — Authorities put Barangay Cagangohan in Panabo City on lockdown after 12 confirmed cases of the African Swine Fever (ASF) in the area.
Governor Edwin Jubahib said stricter quarantine protocol is necessary to prevent the spread of the killer hog disease to other parts of the province.
Barangay Cagangohan is just near the Davao City-Davao del Norte border.
“We now blocked the entry and exit of live pig and pork products to and from Caganguhan to stop the spread of the disease,” the governor explained to the residents during his visit to the area on Wednesday.
The governor discussed strict quarantine procedures with village officials and residents, together with DA-XI Regional Director Ricardo Onate, Jr., Mayor Jose Relampagos, and officials from the police and the military.
Jubahib ordered the immediate culling of all pigs in the area, as he vowed financial assistance to hog raisers.
The DA and provincial and city governments chipped in to raise the indemnification to P2,000 per suckling and P8,000 per hog.
While the virus has no effect on human health, the governor said the province shall harden its defenses to protect the livelihood of the hog farmers. He also assured he will deliver native chicken next week for the affected households to raise until the ASF threat is eliminated.
To help them recover from their losses, Onate said the hog raisers could avail themselves of a zero-interest loan of up to P30,000 from the Department of Agriculture (DA)’s Agricultural Credit Policy Council, payable in three years.
“Let us work together in ending the threat of ASF in Davao del Norte,” he said.
Authorities have confirmed cases of ASF in Davao del Sur, North Cotabato as Davao City enforced the ban on all hogs and its byproducts to enter the city while monitoring the border to prevent contamination. –Newsline.ph
