PROVINCE-WIDE SURVEILLANCE ON

THE spread of African Swine Fever (ASF) in Pangasinan has not been contained as evidenced by the culling of 418 hogs as of January 22 in Barangays San Isidro and Canaolan in Binmaley and Barangays Apaya and Pulong in Malasiqui while culling operation of more hogs is underway in Barangay Cabeldatan in Basista, the latest barangay attacked by ASF.   

Dr. Jovito Tabarejos, assistant provincial veterinarian, said new ASF cases surfaced last week in Barangays Apaya and Pulong in Malasiqui, San Isidro and Canaoalan in Binmaley; and in Carael in Dagupan City.

This is in addition to 34 hogs that died and another 21 hogs culled and buried in Barangay Linoc, Binmaley and an undetermined number of hogs that died in Barangay Canaoalan in Binmaley and Barangay Carael in Dagupan City.    

The culling was the result of the implementation of the 1-7-10 protocol ordered by the Department of Agriculture where hogs within the one-kilometer radius are to be killed and buried, those within the seven-kilometer radius be restricted in their movements and those within the 10-kilometer radius be closely monitored. 

The situation has so alarmed Calasiao town that its livestock market had to suspend operations last week, affecting the livelihood of hundreds hog raisers and traders as well as meat vendors.

Dr. Florentino Adarme, chief of the regulatory division of the Department of Agriculture Field Office 1, already called on Basista government to cordon off Barangay Cabeldatan preparatory to the culling of infected hogs.

Earlier, Governor Amado Espino III called an emergency meeting of heads of different concerned government agencies on January 20 to map out new plans to address the new cases of ASF in the province.   

He directed the conduct of a thorough investigation and if warranted, the filing of appropriate cases, against unscrupulous persons who may have slipped ASF-infected hogs past quarantine stations for any reason.

And in Binmaley, the Sangguniang Bayan upon the recommendation of Mayor Simplicio Rosario is set to declare a state of calamity in the town after ASF was reported to have also been detected in Barangay Poblacion.

A report of the Office of the Provincial Veterinarian showed 202 hogs culled and buried in San Isidro in Binmaley belonged to 18 different raisers, another 173 hogs in Barangay Apaya in Malasiqui and 43 other in Barangay Pulong in Malasiqui, all owned by 17 different raisers.

Barangau Linoc has been placed under lock down since January 7 and checkpoints were posted in entry and exit points of the village to prevent hog movements.

More hogs are set to be culled as five of 30 blood samples taken from live hogs in Barangay Cabeldatan, Malasiqui were found positive of ASF based on the laboratory results from the Regional Animal Diagnostic Laboratory in Sta. Barbara town. 

Tabarejos reiterated his appeal to hog raisers to immediately report unusual deaths of their hogs in their backyards or farms to their respective barangay chairmen and town/city veterinarians.

He said the ASF virus will continue to spread if hog raisers hide the deaths of their hogs.

Meanwhile, Fourth District Board Member Jeremy Rosario recommend the provision of a special fund for the task force to support the 24/7 quarantine operations in many entry/exit points in Pangasinan and culling og hogs. (Leonardo Micua)

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