DA7 Regional Executive Director (RED) Atty. Salvador D. Diputado together with other officials from the DA attached agencies recently attended a meeting at the Cebu Capitol with Governor Gwendolyn Garcia to discuss updates and measures against the African Swine Fever (ASF) which was confirmed in three towns of Leyte last week.
The hog industry group of Cebu also updated Governor Garcia on the current supply of hogs, including the volume of live hogs sent to augment the dwindling supply of pork in Metro Manila markets.
Director Diputado said that the Governor was also updated on the current ASF situation in Leyte which now includes three towns, namely, Abuyog, La Paz and Javier.
Diputado went on saying that the DA-8 authorities are optimistic that they have the situation under control.
Among the measures discussed in the meeting were the strengthening of the manpower resources and the stringent monitoring and surveillance of cargoes and passengers in Cebu’s ports.
The confirmed ASF case in Leyte is the first in the Visayas area, while Central Visayas remains an ASF-free region.
Central Visayas is now on heightened alert against the entry of ASF.
In attendance to the meeting included DA7 attached agencies like Bureau of Fisheries and Aquatic Resources, National Meat Inspection Service, Philippine Crop Insurance Corporation, National Dairy Authority; and the Cebu Provincial Veterinary Office, the local ASF task force of Cebu and the Cebu Hog Raisers’ group. # # # (DA-RFO VII, RAFIS)
