Gov. Eugenio Jose Laccson said on Friday, March 10, that he has appealed to Gov. Gwendolyn Garcia to lift the ban on the entry of Negros Occidental pork and pork related products into Cebu province.
Negros Occidental remains a green zone or an African Swine Fever (ASF) -free province, he pointed out.
Lacson said he is still waiting for the reply of the Cebu governor.
The ban has affected large shipments from Negros to Cebu and neighboring areas, which has affected Negrense hog raisers financially, Lacson said.
He said the hog raisers have had to sell their products to Metro Manila at lower prices.
Garcia had issued Executive Order No. 9, Series of 2023, declaring a temporary ban on the entry of pork products from Negros Island.
“There is no definite basis to or reason to ban the entry of pork or pork related products from the island to Cebu. The Department of Agriculture or any other government agency has never issued any advisory or notice that pork or pork related products from Negros Occidental have been infected with African Swine Fever (ASF)”, Lacson said in his letter to Garcia on Tuesday, March 7.
Lacson said with the provincial governments’ bio security measures, he guarantees that all pork or pork related products from Negros Occidental are free from ASF.
“The province gives high regard to the farming and cultivating practices of its local farmers and all pork and pork related products to be exported to various destinations in the Philippines all have due accreditation and approval from the Provincial Veterinary Office. It is with due diligence that the PVO ensures that all exported pork and pork related products are clear of any traces of ASF,” he added.
Lacson said he has received requests from Negros hog raisers for him to ask the Cebu government to allow their shipments to pass through to Cebu on the way to other destinations, such as Leyte.
Keeping Negros ASF free is challenging with ASF cases having been detected in neighboring Panay and Cebu, Lacson said.
Bacolod Mayor Alfredo Abelardo Benitez and Lacson on Tuesday issued a joint executive order banning pigs and pork related products from Cebu following the detection of ASF cases in Carcar City.*