CdeO City, July 20 – The Department of Agriculture in Northern Mindanao strengthens quarantine measures of its borders in preventing the entry of African Swine Fever (ASF) in the region.

DA-10 Regional Executive Director Carlene C. Collado said, that the agency will closely coordinate with the provincial governments in the region, particularly in Bukidnon to strictly implement veterinary quarantine measures.

This move is in line with the confirmed ASF cases in three barangays of Magpet, North Cotabato. Magpet is bounded on the North by the provinces of Lanao del Sur and Bukidnon.

Accordingly, an emergency meeting was conducted with the DA-Bureau of Animal Industry-National Veterinary Quarantine Services (DA-BAI-NVQS), City Veterinary Office of Cagayan de Oro, Provincial Veterinary Office of Misamis Oriental and NORMINHOG to initially come up with recommendations in strengthening the protection of the region’s borders.

NORMINHOG President Leon Tan, Jr. said, that stricter implementation of the quarantine checkpoints in Alae, Manolo Fortich, Libona, Talakag, San Fernando, Kalilangan, Damulog in the province of Bukidnon should be enforced.

The group recommended to request Bukidnon Governor Jose Ma.  Zubiri to augment personnel to be stationed at each identified entry points in the province and further request the Philippine National Police to assign its personnel to assist the veterinary quarantine checkpoints.

As of April 1, the Philippine Statistics Authority (PSA) reported, Northern Mindanao has a total of 1.113 million metric tons of hog inventory.

ASF is a dreaded hog disease that has devastated farms in China and continues to threaten the livestock industry of some European countries.

Collado appeals to the consumers to refrain from bringing in the region pork and meat products from ASF affected areas.# (ATCabig)