By Leilanie Adriano | Philippine News Agency
LAOAG CITY – Hog raisers in the province of Ilocos Norte are urged to secure insurance packages to ensure their recovery should their farms get affected by African swine fever (ASF).
In a public advisory on Friday (Oct. 1), the Ilocos Norte government said hog raisers should take advantage of the livestock insurance offered by the Department of Agriculture’s Philippine Crop Insurance Corporation (DA-PCIC) to protect their livelihood and recover from their losses.
“You may go to Municipal Agriculture Office or City Veterinary Office nearest you to avail of this program,” it said in a statement.
Since 2019, the DA-PCIC has included ASF among the risks covered by its livestock insurance. For premium payment of P225, the PCIC provides P10,000 insurance cover per head of swine. Small backyard hog raisers are also given free insurance if their names are listed in the Registry System for Basic Sectors in Agriculture (RSBSA).
The insurance coverage is different from the ASF indemnification claims, where beneficiaries are eligible for a P5,000 assistance per pig culled.
To prevent the spread of ASF, Dr. Loida Valenzuela, provincial veterinarian, reminded hog raisers on Friday to report it immediately to local authorities if their pigs are sick, observed biosecurity measures, and avoid entertaining other visitors at the farm.
Valenzuela likewise warned hog raisers to avoid slaughtering animals at home.
Consumers are also strongly encouraged to only buy pork meat that was properly inspected by a meat inspector. (PNA) – bny