Dumping of dead hogs in rivers hit

BACOLOD CITY, Philippines — The spread of swine diseases in Negros Occidental has been blamed on the disposal of hog carcasses in rivers and other waterways in some local government units.

Bago City Mayor Nicholas Yulo earlier warned owners of hogs culled due to African swine fever (ASF) and other diseases against improper disposal of carcasses.

The Provincial Veterinary Office reported that 1,582 hogs died in Bago due to swine diseases.

Yulo said that water is the quickest medium in spreading diseases.

He reminded hog raisers of a provincial ordinance imposing penalty on people caught dumping carcasses in waterways.

San Enrique Mayor Jilson Tubillara reiterated Yulo’s warning as hog carcasses have also been dumped into the town’s waterways.

Almost 90 percent of San Enrique’s hog population have died of cholera and other animal diseases.

Yulo and Tubillara said that ASF has not affected their hog industry.

But the mayors said they would treat any disease that would affect their hogs like an ASF case.

The municipal government of Ilog also raised alarm over the rising number of hog deaths in the area.

More than 100 hogs have died in Ilog since June 1.

Ilog agriculture office chief Rodante Perez said the village of Calubang, where 100 pigs died of cholera, was placed under isolation