The Quezon City local government said that the "lechon" or roasted pig being sold in La Loma is free from the African Swine Fever (ASF).
The City's Veterinary Department inspector Paul Patinio confirmed that as of August 15, no cases of ASF or other diseases have been reported in pigs brought into the city.
Patinio also said that they conducted a thorough 24/7 inspection and checking of the documents as well as examining the quality and smell of the pigs to ensure that they are safe to consume.
“Binabasa po natin yung documento na dala nila, tinitignan din natin yung quality kung okay pa po ba or kung wala pong problema sa baboy. Dito naman po wala pa namang pong problema (We read the documents they bring, and we also check the quality to ensure there are no issues with the pigs. So far, there haven't been any problems here),” he said.
Vendors of the lechon or roasted pig said they have not been affected by the ASF and assured that their products are safe to eat.
They added that they are not allowed to butcher pigs for lechon unless the pigs have undergone inspection either in the morning or at night before preparation.
The vendors also added that they import pigs for lechon from various locations, including Cebu, Marinduque, Masbate, Mindoro, Romblon, Quezon province, and Tuguegarao in Cagayan.
On August 13, the local government announced the establishment of livestock and poultry checkpoints within the city as a precautionary measure in response to the recent ASF outbreak in other parts of the country.
READ:
https://mb.com.ph/2024/8/14/qc-lgu-sets-up-livestock-poultry-inspection-checkpoints