LA TRINIDAD, Benguet-- The Provincial Local Government Unit of Benguet through the Office of the Provincial Veterinarian (PVET) gives cash aid amounting to a total of P949,200.00 to 28 swine raisers in the province.
This is to compensate the losses of swine raisers from the municipalities of Itogon and La Trinidad whose pigs, with a total of 192, were depopulated and buried due to ASF from late of April until June this year. They are the second batch of recipients of the said assistance.
The beneficiaries were given P10,000.00 for every depopulated boar and sow, P5,000.00 for fattener and gilt, and P1,700 for weaner and piglet.
Benguet Governor Melchor Diclas and Provincial Veterinarian Miriam Tiongan with La Trinidad Municipal Agriculturist Felicitas Ticbaen and Itogon Municipal Agriculturist Dr. Prudencio Pedro led the turn-over of the cash assistance to the swine raisers on September 8, 2020 at the provincial capitol of Benguet.
Diclas expressed his sympathy to the swine raisers and hopes that the financial assistance will help them restart their livestock business. He also reminded them to always follow safety protocols and observe preventive measures to avert the spread of the ASF virus.
According to the office of the PVET, there will be a third batch of recipients of the cash assistance comprising swine raisers whose pigs were depopulated and buried since June to August this year. The first batch of recipients have received over 1 million pesos assistance last March.
Based on data, the towns under the Red Zone are barangays Itogon, La Trinidad, and Tuba; Pink Zones are Sablan and Tublay; and Light Green Zones are Mankayan, Kibungan, Kapangan, Atok, Kabayan, Bokod, Bakun, and Buguias.
Municipalities tagged as Red Zones are those with pigs infected with ASF, their adjacent municipalities as Pink Zones, and Light Green Zones for ASF-free municipalities.
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