The Negros Occidental provincial government in continuing to find alternative livelihood assistance for pig raisers affected by the death of their animals from various illnesses, including hog cholera and African swine fever, Provincial Administrator Rayfrando Diaz said on Tuesday, June 20.
Diaz said an initial 400 pig raisers are recipients of alternative livelihood opportunities through Project Hope, while others have been given free range chickens.
The provincial government is also about to release the P2,000 assistance per family affected by the pig deaths, from the P10 million allocated by the provincial government, he added.
Continuous testing and surveillance of pigs are being conducted so those who are ill can be segregated, he said.
The provincial government is also assisting in the manning of checkpoints, providing test kits and in biosecurity work, he said.
The daily pig mortality in the province that was previously at 400 a day has dropped to about 140 to 150 a day, he said.
The pig deaths in Negros Occidental were at 13,718 causing losses of P154,331,425 as of Tuesday, June 20, the Provincial Veterinary Office (PVO) reported.
This has affected 2,691 pig raisers in 140 barangays in 17 of the 31 local government units in Negros Occidental, the PVO added.*