Cebu bans hogs, pork from Bohol

MANILA, Philippines — A 60-day ban on the entry of hogs, pork and its by-products from Bohol is being implemented in Cebu province after African swine fever  (ASF) was detected in Pilar town.

On Tuesday, Gov. Gwendolyn Garcia issued an executive order (EO) imposing the ban, citing the need to protect the P11-billion hog industry in Cebu.

“Livestock transport trucks and reefer vans from the province of Bohol, which were issued Cebu provincial livestock transport passes, in order to carry live hogs and pork products, are banned from entering Cebu,” Garcia’s EO No. 21 read.

The governor called on the Philippine National Police, Philippine Coast Guard, Cebu Port Authority and mayors in the province to monitor their area of jurisdiction and implement the ban.

In March, Bohol imposed a ban on live hogs and pork products from Cebu after ASF was detected in Carcar City.

While a majority of new cases of ASF are confined in the Visayas, Antique, Biliran, Siquijor and Bohol remained free from the swine disease as of June. – The Freeman