THE Malasiqui municipal government declared a state of calamity on Thursday in response to the confirmed spread of the African Swine Fever (ASF) among the backyard hog raisers in the town here.

Mayor Noel Anthony Geslani said the declaration will enable the municipal government to use calamity fund in giving assistance to the affected backyard hog raisers whose pigs have been culled as part of the protocol against ASF, as well as in supporting the operational costs in containing the virus.

Some 678 pigs from two barangays, Barangay Apaya and Barangay Polong Norte have been culled as of Jan. 23 according to the data of the Department of Agriculture (DA) Ilocos regional office.

“The number of hog raisers affected will still increase as culling operations continue in the different barangays within the one-kilometer radius, while blood sampling is also being done in barangays within the seven-kilometer radius,” Geslani said.

Meanwhile, monitoring of DA in Barangay Mabolitek, which is near Cabeldatan Basista town, where some pigs also tested positive of ASF, continues.

“We are still to identify the amount of indemnification for the affected hog raisers as their number continues to increase,” he said.

Geslani also appealed to the traders in the town to obey the lockdown and the protocol being enforced by the municipal government to contain the virus’ spread.

Some hog raisers were defiant and emotional over the culling operation being done by authorities.

Meanwhile, the operation in the slaughterhouse of the town was temporarily stopped and disinfection is being implemented.

“We have responsibility in order to not spread the virus further as this has long term effect to everybody. Although, it is our human nature to feel emotional over this matter, we cannot do otherwise but to honor the protocol,” he said. (Helen Martin)

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