The Quezon City government swiftly implemented preemptive measures in two barangays even before the Bureau of Animal Industry (BAI) confirmed the existence of African Swine Fever (ASF) virus, according to Mayor Joy Belmonte.
Belmonte announced on Thursday that several blood samples from hogs in Barangays Tandang Sora and Pasong Tamo submitted to the BAI were tested positive for ASF.
With the latest development, the number of Quezon City barangays with ASF has increased to five, including Bagong Silangan, Payatas and Tatalon. The Department of Agriculture (DA) earlier clarified that Barangay Commonwealth was inadvertently mentioned in its previous advisory.
According to Belmonte, the City Veterinary Office, headed by Dr. Anamarie Cabel, already started culling hogs voluntarily surrendered by backyard raisers in Tandang Sora and Pasong Tamo ahead of the release of BAI test results.
“Bilang bahagi ng ating preemptive measure, nag-cull na tayo ng mga baboy na nakitaan ng sintomas ng ASF na boluntaryong isinuko ng kanilang mga may-ari,” said Belmonte.
With the positive test, Belmonte said pig within the 1-kilometer radius of the two barangays will be culled, per the 1-7-10 protocol for ASF.
The lady mayor renewed her call to hog raisers in the city to voluntarily surrender their pigs so they can avail of the local government’s financial assistance of P3,000 per pig.
“Hindi magtatagumpay ang ating laban kontra ASF kung wala ang kooperasyon ng ating hog raisers,” said Belmonte.
Belmonte has added P5 million to augment the initial P10 million fund earmarked by the city for the financial assistance to hog raisers who will voluntarily surrender their live pigs for culling.
Meanwhile, the Quezon City government filed several cases against a man for slaughtering and selling pigs from Barangay Payatas, where thousands of hogs were recently culled due to the spread of the ASF in the area.
Dr. Cabel said charges for violation of Food Safety Act and Sanitation Code and illegal slaughtering have been filed against Orlando Onque.
“This may serve as warning to all local residents. They must cooperate with the city government’s effort to eradicate ASF or face severe punishment,” said Belmonte.
Local authorities, led by Dr. Cabel, caught Onque red-handed while selling meat exposed to the ASF virus in Barangay Bahay Toro last Sunday.
According to Dr. Cabel, they acted on a tip from Onque’s neighbors that he was slaughtering and selling meat sourced from pigs from Barangay Payatas.
“Hogs from Barangay Payatas are supposed to be culled and should not be sold,” said Dr. Cabel, adding that around 3,065 pigs from the said area have been culled.
Nonong Velasco, action officer of QC’s ASF Task Force, said Onque bought the pig from a backyard raiser in Narra St. Despite the ban on transporting pig from ground zero, Onque was able to bring the hog home where he slaughtered it.
“The objective of the 1-kilometer protocol is to contain the virus. We don’t want the virus to spread. Self-consumption is allowed because the virus has no effect on humans. We simply don’t allow selling outside the contaminated area so we do not spread the virus,” said Velasco.
The Quezon City government swiftly implemented preemptive measures in two barangays even before the Bureau of Animal Industry (BAI) confirmed the existence of African Swine Fever (ASF) virus, according to Mayor Joy Belmonte.
Belmonte announced on Thursday that several blood samples from hogs in Barangays Tandang Sora and Pasong Tamo submitted to the BAI were tested positive for ASF.
With the latest development, the number of Quezon City barangays with ASF has increased to five, including Bagong Silangan, Payatas and Tatalon. The Department of Agriculture (DA) earlier clarified that Barangay Commonwealth was inadvertently mentioned in its previous advisory.
According to Belmonte, the City Veterinary Office, headed by Dr. Anamarie Cabel, already started culling hogs voluntarily surrendered by backyard raisers in Tandang Sora and Pasong Tamo ahead of the release of BAI test results.
“Bilang bahagi ng ating preemptive measure, nag-cull na tayo ng mga baboy na nakitaan ng sintomas ng ASF na boluntaryong isinuko ng kanilang mga may-ari,” said Belmonte.
With the positive test, Belmonte said pig within the 1-kilometer radius of the two barangays will be culled, per the 1-7-10 protocol for ASF.
The lady mayor renewed her call to hog raisers in the city to voluntarily surrender their pigs so they can avail of the local government’s financial assistance of P3,000 per pig.
“Hindi magtatagumpay ang ating laban kontra ASF kung wala ang kooperasyon ng ating hog raisers,” said Belmonte.
Belmonte has added P5 million to augment the initial P10 million fund earmarked by the city for the financial assistance to hog raisers who will voluntarily surrender their live pigs for culling.
Meanwhile, the Quezon City government filed several cases against a man for slaughtering and selling pigs from Barangay Payatas, where thousands of hogs were recently culled due to the spread of the ASF in the area.
Dr. Cabel said charges for violation of Food Safety Act and Sanitation Code and illegal slaughtering have been filed against Orlando Onque.
“This may serve as warning to all local residents. They must cooperate with the city government’s effort to eradicate ASF or face severe punishment,” said Belmonte.
Local authorities, led by Dr. Cabel, caught Onque red-handed while selling meat exposed to the ASF virus in Barangay Bahay Toro last Sunday.
According to Dr. Cabel, they acted on a tip from Onque’s neighbors that he was slaughtering and selling meat sourced from pigs from Barangay Payatas.
“Hogs from Barangay Payatas are supposed to be culled and should not be sold,” said Dr. Cabel, adding that around 3,065 pigs from the said area have been culled.
Nonong Velasco, action officer of QC’s ASF Task Force, said Onque bought the pig from a backyard raiser in Narra St. Despite the ban on transporting pig from ground zero, Onque was able to bring the hog home where he slaughtered it.
“The objective of the 1-kilometer protocol is to contain the virus. We don’t want the virus to spread. Self-consumption is allowed because the virus has no effect on humans. We simply don’t allow selling outside the contaminated area so we do not spread the virus,” said Velasco. (PR)
