Victorias Mayor Javier Miguel Benitez on Friday, February 10, aired his dismay over the destruction of 240,000 eggs worth P1.4 million that were seized at the BREDCO Port in Bacolod City.
Benitez, in a post on his Facebook page, said “Kanugon sang pagsunog sang 240,000 nga itlog o 8,000 trays worth P1.4 M sa Bacolod City. Tani may mas maayo nga solusyon para diri (It is a waste that 240,00 eggs or 8,000 trays worth P1.4 million in Bacolod City were burned. There should be a better solution to this).”
He said the eggs could be donated to those who are hungry.
Bacolod City Veterinarian Ma. Agueda dela Torre said the eggs from Bantayan, Cebu, were seized at the BREDCO Port 5 p.m. Sunday by a multi-agency task force, which includes personnel from the Bacolod and Negros Occidental veterinary offices, for lack of a permit.
The confiscated eggs were dropped in a hole, broken, burned and doused with disinfectant, she said.
Negros Occidental Gov. Eugenio Jose Lacson and Bacolod Mayor Alfredo Abelardo Benitez issued a joint executive order late last year establishing the guidelines for the ban on the entry of all live domestic and wild birds, and their products, including eggs and manure, from areas with reported cases of highly pathogenic avian influenza, also known as bird flu.
Even though the eggs came from Bantayan that is avian influenza free, they were seized because they had no pertinent documents, dela Torre said.
She said the eggs were destroyed and buried to protect the poultry industry of Negros Occidental and Bacolod from avian influenza.
Once a farm is hit by avian influenza its total population could be wiped out, she added.*