Cebu (CNN Philippines, August 9) — Cebu Governor Gwen Garcia has issued a 60-day ban on the entry of live hogs and pork products from Bohol following recent cases of African Swine Fever (ASF) in the province.
“With the confirmed cases of ASF in Bohol, there is an urgent need to temporarily ban entry of live hogs, sows, piglets, boar semen, and pork-related products from the province of Bohol to protect the hog industry of Cebu,” Garcia said in her Executive Order.
The Bureau of Animal Industry has also tagged Cebu as having confirmed ASF cases, but the Cebu provincial government contested the findings, saying they were mostly hog cholera, and the confirmed cases have long been controlled.Bohol province also has a continuing ban of pork products and live hogs coming from Cebu province.In Garcia’s Executive Order 21 dated Aug. 8, the governor also suspended previously issued passes for livestock transport trucks coming from Bohol.The EO cited ASF cases in the municipality of Pilar in Bohol.Garcia also called on all law enforcement agencies including the police, coast guard, the Cebu Port Authority, the Mactan Cebu International Airport, and mayors to monitor the strict implementation of the order.While a strict ban is imposed on Bohol, neighboring Negros Oriental is currently working a deal to open its borders for the free flow of pork products.
