ASF awareness drive to kick off next week

CEBU, Philippines —  The Central Visayas Pork Producers Cooperative (CeViPPCo) is coordinating with the Provincial ASF (African Swine Fever) Task Force to kick off a massive awareness campaign to protect the P11 billion local hog industry in Cebu.

“We will be holding a seminar about ASF and how each Cebuano can help keep Cebu free from this economically devastating disease,” announced CeViPPCo in a statement.

The hog industry leaders will start in Pinamungajan, which is identified as home to a handful of backyard farmers aside from corporate swine farming players.

The event is slated on September 5, 2019 at 10am to 3pm at Pinamungajan municipal gym.

The ASF information drive, which will be the first of a series, expects to gather over 200 participants including Pinamungajan SB Members, SK Federation, Department Heads, hog raisers in the area, meat dealers, barangay captains among others as this is in partnership with the Municipality of Pinamungajan headed by Mayor Glenn Baricuatro.

This is also in support of the Executive Orders (EO 13a & 14) issued by Gov. Gwen Garcia to protect the multi-billion-peso local hog industry from African Swine Fever (ASF) threat.

Early this week, CeViPPCo led by its president Rolando Tambago of Virginia Farms Inc. (VFI) assured Cebuano consumers that pork sourced within Cebu are safe, but bringing any pork-related items from outside may endanger the consumers.

“Eating pork products sourced within Cebu is safe and we could keep it that way with your help,” assured that organization, while appealing cooperation from Cebuano consumers to be responsible and be informed of what should not be done in order to protect our local hog industry.

ASF is a severe viral disease affecting domestic and wild pigs, but it is not a public health threat or food safety concern.