Cebu fastfood firms to source pork locally

CEBU, Philippines — Amid concerns the African Swine Flu virus may enter Cebu, local fastfood chain operators have decided to source their pork locally.

Cebu Provincial Veterinarian Dr. Mary Rose Vincoy disclosed this to reporters following her recent meeting with fastfood chain officials.

“I was informed nga they also had an agreement also with meat processors that they will source out as well as meat importer… diri na i-source ang tanan nilang pork products,” Vincoy said.

Pork from non-ASF infected countries store some of their pork in Luzon storage areas before entering Cebu ports. This puts the imported meat at risk of commingling with possible ASF-infected meat.

Because fastfood operators will now resort to local pork, Cebu P11-billion hog industry is projected to further expand.

In fact, Vincoy said that even backyard producers are now expected to produce above 90 kilos of pork per pig.

Meanwhile, Executive Order 23 also includes commingled meat on the preventive ban against ASF. Because of this, food chains were required to submit specific documentary requirements for the Department of Health to inspect.

Vincoy assured that that fastfood chains have been compliant with their requirements so far.

This means that meat dishes unavailable in fastfood chains because of the extended meat ban will soon be in stock.

With the holiday pork demand coming up, the Provincial ASF Task Force will also be strengthening its monitoring on the entrance on pork and pork products from Luzon and other ASF-infected countries.

Vincoy firmly denied any plans to lift the pork ban soon.

Vincoy also assured that the ban would not mean an undersupply of pork for December especially with the holidays coming up.

“For meat products, we have our meat importer man dire sa Cebu Province. So ang mga imported meat products sa non-ASF infected countries diretso siyadire sa Cebu,” Vincoy said.

In fact, she enumerated that three members of the Philippines Association of Meat Producers Inc. (PAMPI) are based in Cebu. The public can still avail of PAMPI-quality manufactured pork products from Virginia Food Inc., Sunpride Foods Inc., and Kings Quality Food Inc. /JMD (FREEMAN)