The problem of the still unsolved African Swine Fever (ASF) does not only cripple the economic movement of backyard piggery owners but it has affected hundreds of workers.
The ASF problem is not only about meat and its bi-products but it involves workers from delivery trucks, vans and farm workers, the lowly paid “kargador” in the public market as movement of meat products tremendously reduced.
Aside from that, backyard piggery owners economic activity halts as the virus has yet to stop spreading given the government effort to cull and depopulate the infected areas.
In General Santos City alone, city veterinarian Dr. Ephren Marin in an interview with Philippine News Agency said hog farms here have reportedly laid off workers due to mounting losses as a result of the declining sales in the wake of the African swine fever (ASF) outbreak in Davao Region.
Citing preliminary data, Marin said more than 2,000 workers could eventually lose their jobs if the problem persists and in the event the disease would reach the area. With the city’s hog population currently at around 457,000 heads, he said an ASF outbreak in the area could displace around 2,285 direct workers.
The problem according to Marin is triggered by the limited movement of hogs after affected local government units prohibited the movement of hogs as the Department of Agriculture implemented a strict measure to contain the ASF virus.
“Our hog producers already lost some of their traditional market destinations like Leyte,” Marin revealed during the interview. Though there is no specific figure to present, Marin emphasized more than 2,000 workers could eventually lose their jobs if the problem remains unabated.
In Davao City, City veterinarian Dr. Cerelyn Pinili said “We did not receive reports of retrenchment because commercial piggeries are not affected but economic movement among backyard piggery owners are affected.” Though, Pinili said “Effects on the income of kargadors in the public market are affected because of the slow movement.”
Jerick 24, a pushcart worker in Bakerohan public market said “Sa una mokita ko ug P800 kada adlaw labi na og Domingo, pero sukad adtong naay ASF maglisod na gani ko ug P200, lisod na kaayo ang panginabuhi, hadlok na man ang mga tao og baboy (Before I earned about P800 especially during Sundays, however, since the ASF was reported, I hardly earn P200, life is not easy, people are scared of meat).
The problem on ASF does not only affect the economy, it also involves the psycho-social being especially those into backyard hog raising.
Jason Lee Balbuenaa, was teary-eyed when he revealed how his 3-month old pig was culled right before his eyes. “Ningtulo akong luha, wala gyud- gihapak ug kahoy ang ulo sa akong baboy, patay-diritso, unay gikarga sa dump truck nga puno og patay nga baboy, dayon ilang gilubong, sakit kaayo, mahadluk na ko magbuhi og baboy, dili karon-nasakitan pa ko. Ako gud tong kaistorya ing abot naku sa balay, kanang soud na kaayo k sa baboy ba, unya patyon kay naay ASF, pirting sakita,” Jason narrated.
(My tears dropped, it’s over, they poke a hard wood on my pig’s head, they they hauled it to a dump trucks filled with dead hogs-then buried them all-it is very painful. AS of now, I am afraid to raise another pig, not now I am hurt, I used to talk to my pig everytime I come home, I was very close to my pig, they killed it because of ASF-it is really painful.)
Though he said, the city government of Davao paid him P5,000 for the loss, he was thankful, at least he recovered a bit of whatever he has invested.
The ASF has affected three barangays in Davao, two municipalities of Davao Occidental and select communities in South Cotabato, the ASF scare has affected the whole swine industry of Mindanao. While the DA in Davao region and Southern Cotabato continuously monitor to contain the virus, other local government units have imposed a ban on live hogs and meat products from Mindanao.
Ban on meat from Mindanao
The latest to declare a ban was the Provicial government of Antique, on Thursday, February 27, the Provincial Veterinary Office (ProVet) reported that they are waiting for Governor Rhodora J. Cadiao to sign an executive order (EO) banning the entry of swine, pork, and its by-products from Mindanao.
Provincial Veterinarian, Dr. Romeo Magdato said on Thursday that they expect Cadiao to issue the EO either on Friday or this week since they have sent a proposal to her office recommending the ban.
“We proposed the banning of the Mindanao swine, pork, pork products and its by-products in the province because of the reported cases of the African swine fever (ASF) there,” Magdato said.
Marin has earlier said the hogs from General Santos are delivered in various cities in the country but the distribution ceased after the ASF virus broke off.
Dr. Jose Lorenzo M. Gomos, Technical & Commercial Manager for Asia Andres Pinaluba, SA (Reus, Spain), who presented the ASF problem and solution in various parts of the world said, “It takes about five years to completely clear an area of ASF. It is hard to totally eradicate it instantly and it needs a collective effort especially from the communities.”
The department of Agriculture in 2019 reported that the `continuous spread of African swine fever (ASF) in the country has already ballooned to P7 billion since the outbreak was first confirmed in August last year.
This was according to Department of Agriculture (DA) Secretary William Dar on Monday, who said the government will stand to lose more if uncooperative traders and hog growers will continue their malpractices.
“We are indeed losing P1 billion every month due to ASF so if we are to compute our losses since August to February, that’s P7 billion,” Dar told reporters in a press briefing. As such, the DAR said the DA will exhaust its current P1.5 billion quick response fund (QRF) to further boost security screening measures at the international airports and implement stricter quarantine measures.
While the government says it is safe to eat port, people raising a pig to produce pork continue to suffer the setback economically.-Editha Z. Caduaya
