Mayor Alfredo Abelardo Benitez said on Wednesday, June 14, that Bacolod City is also releasing assistance to hog raisers whose pigs have been hit with African swine fever.
He said hog raisers should not dump their dead pigs in rivers or they will not be given assistance.
How can they claim compensation if that is what they do? he asked.
So far more than 200 Bacolod pigs have been hit by the disease, which is being validated, Benitez said.
ASF positive cases have been detected in barangays Taculing and Tangub in Bacolod City.
Negros Occidental Gov. Eugenio Jose Lacson said on Wednesday that the provincial government aims to release aid to backyard pig raisers whose animals died from various diseases before the barangay and Sangguniang Kabataan election period starts.
The election period will start on August 28 and end on November 29.
Provincial Administrator Rayfrado Diaz earlier said that P2,000 would be provided to each pig raiser affected.
The provincial government’s assistance will be on top of what the town and city governments will give to their affected constituents.
Lacson said he has not heard of any Department of Agriculture assistance to African Swine Fever (ASF) hit provinces.
If they find out that the DA is giving out assistance, they will appeal that Negros Occidental be included, he said.
The pig deaths from various diseases hit 12,753 or 8.91 percent of Negros Occidental’s hog population on Wednesday, the Provincial Veterinary Office (PVO) reported.
Total losses reached P143,627,800 affecting 2,454 pig raisers, the PVO added.*