Aggie-10 indemnifies ASF-affected hog raisers in Lagonglong town

 

CAGAYAN DE ORO CITY – To help farmers recover from the adverse effects of African Swine Fever (ASF), the Department of Agriculture – Regional Field Office 10 (DA-RFO 10) handed over a total of Php55k indemnification fund to four backyard hog raisers in Lagonglong town, Misamis Oriental on September 4, here.

The indemnification covers 11 hogs that were culled in August last year as part of disease control protocol enforced by the DA. Each of the four hog raisers received ₱5,000 indemnity per culled hog they owned.

One of the recipients, Justiniano R. Razo, underscored the importance of cooperation with the government during animal disease outbreaks.

“As part of the preventive measures, I voluntarily surrendered my two pigs even though they showed no signs of illness at that time. That is why I encourage my fellow hog raisers to follow the advice of the Department of Agriculture, especially when it comes to disease prevention and control,” Razo urged.

Razo also expressed his appreciation for the agency’s assistance, “I am sincerely grateful to the DA for their support. I also hope that more programs will be made available in the future to assist backyard hog raisers like us, particularly in preventing future outbreaks so that farmers will not have to go through the same difficulties again.”

Fifty-five (55) ASF-hit hog raisers in Misamis Occidental are also due to receive Php1.435-Million worth of indemnification from the DA-RFO 10 this week, for a total of 287 hogs culled on account of the ASF in September and October 2023.

The grant of such indemnification to ASF-affected hog growers is provided for under the DA Memorandum Order No.21 s. 2020 – Supplementary Guidelines to Expedite Granting Cash Assistance to African Swine Fever (ASF)-affected Hog Raisers

The initiative is anchored on the all-inclusive plan for economic and social transformation under the administration of President Ferdinand R. Marcos Jr., to strengthen agricultural resiliency and ensure food security by supporting livestock raisers affected by animal diseases. The DA continues to uphold its mandate of protecting the agriculture sector while safeguarding the livelihood of backyard farmers across Northern Mindanao. # (NQA)