Special power granted to DA-7 in case of ASF

CEBU, Philippines — Agriculture Secretary William Dar has granted a special authority to the regional director of the Department of Agriculture in Central Visayas to make an emergency procurement of the needed materials should there be cases of African Swine Fever in the region.

DA-7 director Salvador Diputado said he asked for advance authority from the secretary as part of their preparations against ASF that is now affecting the hog industry in Luzon.

Diputado, however, said that a prior declaration of a state of calamity by the local government unit is required before any emergency procurement could be done.

“Nangayo ta’g authority for emergency procurement para sa ASF. Buot ipasabot dinhi nangayo ko’g authority ni Secretary nga dinhi sa atong region tugtan ta niya nga mopalit og tanang instrumento, tanang kahimanan sa kampanya versus ASF under emergency procurement,” Diputado said.

He thanked the provincial government of Cebu for the precautionary measures that Governor Gwendolyn Garcia has implemented to keep the province free from ASF infection.

As a preventive measure, Garcia issued an executive order banning all pork and pork-related products from Luzon. Recently, the governor also issued another order that bans pork products from Eastern Visayas after the provinces in the region lifted their ban on pork products from Luzon.

Diputado said they have initially procured almost P500,000 worth of personal protective equipment and chemicals needed for disinfection. An authority was also given to Diputado to access the quick response fund for immediate assistance to hog raisers if needed.

Based on the DA guidelines, a hog raiser will get P5,000 assistance for each pig affected by ASF. (FREEMAN)