DAVAO CITY – The provincial government has tightened measures on movement of livestock products amid the resurgence of African Swine Fever (ASF) in some towns in Cotabato.

MENDOZA (PGO Cotabato)

Confirmed ASF cases were recorded in Barangay Poblacion and Magsaysay in Antipas; in Barangay San Vicente in Makilala town, and Barangays Idaoman and Poblacion in President Roxas.

In a statement, Gov. Emmylou "Lala" Taliño-Mendoza urged her constituents to be vigilant and implement measures to stop ASF from spreading to other areas.

"𝘾𝙤𝙣𝙨𝙞𝙙𝙚𝙧 𝘼𝙎𝙁 𝙖 𝙨𝙚𝙧𝙞𝙤𝙪𝙨 𝙞𝙨𝙨𝙪𝙚 𝙬𝙞𝙩𝙝 𝙨𝙞𝙜𝙣𝙞𝙛𝙞𝙘𝙖𝙣𝙩 𝙞𝙢𝙥𝙡𝙞𝙘𝙖𝙩𝙞𝙤𝙣𝙨 𝙛𝙤𝙧 𝙗𝙤𝙩𝙝 𝙤𝙪𝙧 𝙨𝙬𝙞𝙣𝙚 𝙞𝙣𝙙𝙪𝙨𝙩𝙧𝙮 𝙖𝙣𝙙 𝙩𝙝𝙚 𝙗𝙧𝙤𝙖𝙙𝙚𝙧 𝙖𝙜𝙧𝙞𝙘𝙪𝙡𝙩𝙪𝙧𝙖𝙡 𝙨𝙚𝙘𝙩𝙤𝙧. 𝙒𝙚 𝙣𝙚𝙚𝙙 𝙩𝙤 𝙖𝙘𝙩 𝙞𝙢𝙢𝙚𝙙𝙞𝙖𝙩𝙚𝙡𝙮 𝙩𝙤 𝙖𝙙𝙙𝙧𝙚𝙨𝙨 𝙩𝙝𝙞𝙨 𝙘𝙧𝙞𝙨𝙞𝙨,” Mendoza said.

She recently met town mayors and municipal agriculturists and representatives from the Department of Agriculture to discuss measures in preventing the spread of the virus that remains a threat to the swine industry.

The governor emphasized the collective roles of the Bureau of Animal Industry, Department of Agriculture, local government units, and most importantly, hog growers in the province.

She urged LGUs and law enforcers to tighten monitoring in areas of responsibilities.

Mendoza suggested the conduct of random blood testing on hogs across the province.

Based on the report of Office of the Provincial Veterinarian (OPVet) head Dr. Rufino Sorupia, seven blood samples were sent for laboratory examination to the Regional Animal Disease Diagnostic Laboratory (RADDL) in General Santos City on June 10.

These blood samples were from the Office of the Municipal Agriculturist of Antipas following a report from a farm owner at the town proper that some of his hogs died after showing symptoms of fever, reddening of the skin, and weakness.

Results released three days after the samples were submitted showed that the hogs tested positive for ASF. In response, the local government of Antipas declared a five-kilometer radius quarantine zone in the area.

The neighboring towns of Arakan, Magpet, Matalam, and President Roxas immediately conducted disinfection.

In Carmen town, which shares its borders with the province of Bukidnon, the local government ordered heightened measures against ASF. The local government of Carmen temporarily banned the entry of hogs and other pork products as part of its measures.

In the neighboring town of Kabacan, Mayor Evangeline Guzman issued an executive order banning the movement of all live pigs, pork, and pork-related products and by-products, whether fresh, frozen, processed, or cooked.