By Armando Fenequito Jr.
DAVAO CITY - The Department of Agriculture (DA) 11 is now tracing the point of origin of the two hogs that died due to African swine fever (ASF) in a barangay in Bansalan, Davao del Sur the other week.
DA 11 Regional Director Engr. Ricardo Oñate (Armando Fenequito Jr. / MANILA BULLETIN)
DA 11 Regional Director Engr. Ricardo Oñate said, in an interview, that their office, along with the Municipal Agriculture Office, were investigating where the hogs originated, and how these reached in town.
“Gina-trace back nato kay ingon nila, from Occidental daw na grupo nga niadto (We are tracing back because they said there are groups from Davao Occidental who went to the said town).” he said.
Davao Occidental was the point of origin of ASF outbreak in region last February that reached Davao City.
“We will just wait for the official report of the Municipal Agriculture’s Office,” he said.
Oñate said the municipal government immediately acted on the situation as they implemented the one, seven and 10-kilometer radius protocols in Barangay Buenavista after the result of the hogs’ test was released.
He said the municipal government also met the backyard hog raisers in Barangay Buenavista for the conduct of depopulation to prevent the spread of ASF in other areas.
Oñate said the raisers agreed with the local government, and 15 hogs within the one, seven, and 10-kilometer radius were depopulated.
He said while the hogs were culled, they also took samples and sent these to University of the Philippines - Mindanao laboratory for testing.
Oñate said the surveillance in the town continues to see if there were hogs in other areas infected with ASF.