Bacolod City’s recently restored African swine fever (ASF)-free status is seen to boost confidence in the local pork production after the compliance of the City Veterinary Office (CVO) with the national guidelines on ASF recovery.
In Executive Order 11-2025, dated June 2, Mayor Alfredo Abelardo Benitez officially declared Bacolod City free from ASF.
“The declaration will signify the City of Bacolod’s achievements in disease control efforts, bringing economic stability and consumer confidence in (its) pork production industry,” Benitez said.
He noted that the Department of Agriculture (DA)-Western Visayas endorsed the city’s upgrade from an infected zone (red) to a buffer zone (pink) after evaluating the compliance of the CVO with the national guidelines on ASF recovery.
“I commend the City Veterinary Office and the local ASF Task Force for their dedication and swift action in restoring the city’s ASF-free status,” the mayor said.
As of May 16, Bacolod City is among the 498 local government units in the country upgraded to pink zone from red zone under the DA-Bureau of Animal Industry National ASF Prevention and Control Program.
In mid-2023, Bacolod recorded the initial four cases of the viral hog disease, which eventually almost wiped out the backyard swine population in the city as records showed some 842 hog raisers reported swine deaths to the city government.
In May last year, Benitez lifted the city’s ban on the entry of live pigs, pork and pork products from other parts of the country to address the growing demand and revive the local hog industry.
The mayor said the directive is consistent with the updated DA Administrative Circular No. 22 and aligned with local issuances and national policies and directives.
Still, Benitez maintained that shipments of live pigs, pork, pork products and other related products should be accompanied by necessary permits and pertinent documents when entering Bacolod.*PNA