To protect the multi-million peso local livestock industry and secure the livelihoods of small-scale and commercial hog raisers, more Local Government Units (LGUs) in Negros Occidental have scaled up their biosecurity defenses against African Swine Fever (ASF).
Through a mix of strict border inspections, temporary bans, and localized task forces, Bacolod City, San Carlos City, Binalbagan, Isabela and Moises Padilla are building a regulatory wall to keep their swine populations safe from economic devastation.
Mayor Greg Gasataya together with members of the Bacolod City ASF Task Force on Thursday agreed to implement stronger measures to prevent the possible resurgence and spread of ASF in the city.
There are currently no confirmed cases of ASF in Bacolod, he said.
Through an executive order to be issued by the mayor, the Bacolod City government will intensify monitoring in 13 identified border control areas, including seaports, to strengthen surveillance, inspection, and monitoring activities.
The city will also impose a ban on imported pork and pork products to protect hog raisers, vendors, transporters, and consumers who are part of the province’s billion-peso swine industry.
“We have identified 13 areas where supplies could possibly pass through. We will also ban the entry of imported pork and pork products, particularly those without the necessary permits from concerned agencies,” Gasataya said.
SAN CARLOS CITY
Meanwhile, San Carlos City has also maintained its status as completely free from ASF as of Thursday, June 25, by protecting both backyard and commercial hog farms from the extreme economic losses associated with the disease.
To proactively defend this status, Veterinarian IV Dr. Jeff Reonal said the City Agriculture Office (CAO) and its Veterinary Services Section will begin conducting entry checkpoint inspections of all pork and pork-related products entering the city next week.
Reonal also strongly urged local hog raisers to tighten farm management and regular disinfection protocols, while encouraging them to vaccinate their herds against hog cholera since its clinical signs can closely resemble and mask the detection of ASF.
BINALBAGAN
Binalbagan Mayor Emmanuel Aranda signed an executive order on Wednesday, June 24, to enforce strict entry protocols aimed at safeguarding the local swine population, preventing the spread of animal diseases, and protecting livelihoods in his town.
Under this directive, livestock and pork-derived products are barred from entry in Binalbagan unless they originate from certified ASF-free sources and possess verified veterinary certificates, transport permits, and source records approved by the Municipal Agriculture Office.
ISABELA
Isabela, currently classified as a “pink zone”, has also implemented an emergency crackdown under Executive Order No. 32, Series of 2026, issued on Wednesday by Mayor Miguel Angelo G. Yulo to combat illegal trading and technical smuggling.
The EO imposes a temporary total ban on the sale, transport, and trading of live swine within the municipality, alongside a strict prohibition on the unauthorized sale of imported meat products.
To operate legally, all meat vendors and distributors must present valid documentation upon inspection, including a Certificate of Meat Inspection (COMI) issued by the National Meat Inspection Service, an SPS Import Clearance from the Department of Agriculture, and local business and health clearances, the EO said.
A task force has been created to monitor public markets and warehouses, with full authority to immediately confiscate, condemn, and dispose of any non-compliant products to protect public health and the local swine industry of Isabela.
MOISES PADILLA
In Moises Padilla Mayor Mayor Ella Celestina Garcia-Yulo approved Resolution No. 2026-236 passed by the Sangguniang Bayan, which supports the Liga ng mga Barangay’s manifesto against excessive pork importation.
Local officials stressed that the continued influx of imported meat threatens farmers’ livelihoods, disrupts the domestic supply chain, and weakens the municipality’s food sovereignty.
Beyond economic strain, leaders warned that unchecked imports introduce severe biosecurity risks to an industry still recovering from the devastating losses of ASF, they said.*
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