The Provincial African Swine Fever Task Force has intercepted P1.262 million worth of pork products in port terminals in Negros Occidental from December 14 to 20.
Dr. Ryan Janoya, head of the Animal Health and Meat Inspection Services Division of the Negros Occidental Provincial Veterinary Office, said that the largest haul during the period was the pork belly and assorted meat products worth P1.232 million from Cebu.
He said that the driver of the truck had no documents to show, so they shipped back the pork products to their point of origin.
He said that pork products from Cebu or any area in the Visayas are allowed to enter the province since they remain free from the virus.
Other pork products such as sausages, bacon, ham, chicharon, pork belly, siomai, dumplings, and lumpia shanghai that were brought to the province as pasalubongs from Manila by returning locally-stranded individuals were confiscated at the seaports and airport.
Janoya said that the task force has remained on alert in the campaign against ASF.
He said that this December, the task force has resumed its monitoring and inspections in supermarkets.
“Last time, due to the community quarantine, the movement of the personnel was limited. But we have resumed our monitoring this month,” he said.*