CEBU CITY – The Department of Agriculture-Central Visayas (DA-7) assured that it is supporting measures that Cebu province is taking to prevent the spread of African Swine Fever (ASF).
The DA-7 and the provincial government of Cebu share a common goal of protecting the hog industry in the province, especially the welfare and livelihood of the swine farmers in Cebu, the agency said in a statement.
DA-7’s expression of support came a few days after Gov. Gwen Garcia ordered the suspension of culling of hogs in ASF-affected areas in Carcar City.
The governor said culling of pigs must be stopped as she ordered further conduct of tests to determine if ASF is indeed affecting some hogs in Carcar.
Garcia said she believed that some pigs in Carcar may have died due to Classical Swine Fever or hog cholera.
The governor is standing by her decision even if the national office of DA has ordered that pigs within 500 meters radius of ASF-affected areas must be culled.
While its statement did not mention Garcia’s order to suspend culling of hogs in Carcar, DA-7 said it is supporting Cebu’s “direction and undertaking.”
“Our shared and harmonized actions are to mitigate the impact and spread of the viral swine disease as our utmost priority. With this, the Department of Agriculture commits its resources to the province of Cebu, and fully supports the provincial local government unit’s direction and undertakings in its fight against swine diseases,” DA-7 said.
DA-7 added that it “appreciates and respects” Cebu’s scientific response in the management of ASF.