TABUK CITY, Kalinga – In a bid to halt the relentless spread of African Swine Fever (ASF) within the city, Councilor Juan Thomas Duyan has introduced an ordinance penalizing the sale and transportation of live pigs and pork infected with the virus.
Dubbed “Bantay ASF sa Barangay” or “BaBay ASF,” the ordinance aims to safeguard the swine population and hog raisers across the city’s 43 barangays, protecting livelihoods and ensuring a stable pork supply for public consumption.
Under the proposed ordinance, any activities involving the carrying, transporting, shipping, distributing, storing, marketing, and selling of live pigs, boar semen, pork, and pork products sans proper documentation from ASF-affected areas, as determined by the Tabuk City Task Force on ASF, will be met with penalties. Moreover, tampering with or falsifying these documents will also be dealt with severely.
Additionally, the improper disposal of sick and deceased hogs suspected of ASF and backyard butchering will be strictly prohibited.
Penalties for breaking the ordinance range from fines starting at PhP3,000 and confiscation of livestock or pork for first offense, escalating to fines of PhP5,000, confiscation of livestock or pork, and revocation of relevant permits issued by the city government for subsequent offense. Repeat violations may result in fines of PhP10,000, confiscation of livestock or pork, permit revocation, impounding of the alleged vehicle, and up to six months’ imprisonment as per existing laws, at the discretion of the court.
During the committee meeting on April 2, attending hog raisers agreed with the proposed penalties. However, they urged the city government to allocate funds to support their livelihoods, given the substantial investments made in hog raising.
Oversight of the ordinance’s implementation will fall under the purview of the City ASF Task Force, headed by the mayor and the city veterinarian. Barangay councils will be held accountable for monitoring and enforcing BaBay ASF within their respective jurisdictions. Exit and entry checkpoints, manned by the Philippine National Police and the City Veterinary, are also being established throughout the city.
Carmen Wanas, head of the City Veterinary Services Office (CVSO), said her office is closely monitoring the barangays of Masablang and San Julian, identified as ASF red zones as of date.
Wanas advised the public to ensure the presence of meat inspection certification from CVSO before buying pork from the market.
The CVSO has also undertaken massive information, education, and communication campaigns on ASF across various barangays in the city.
The ordinance is currently slated for its second reading. By Rod Asurin
