8M pigs likely to contract ASF if DA’s financial aid remains delayed —hog raisers

The Philippine Association of Hog Raisers Inc. (PAHRI) on Wednesday warned that 8 million hogs in the country may possibly be affected by African Swine Fever if the Department of Agriculture fails to address delays in financial assistance to hog raisers.

Nicanor Briones, vice president of PAHRI, said in a news forum the promise of P3,000 per infected pig did not come on time that hog raisers disposed of their dead hogs by throwing the carcasses in streams.

“Una ‘yung pera. Nag-start ‘yung problema ng Aug 17. Ano na ngayon, October. Ilang buwan na, wala silang pondo na binabayad sa tinatamaan. At ang ginagawa utang,” Briones noted.

“Paanong mangyayari na magsu-surrender ang magbababoy eh tatatlong libo na, uutangin pa. Ang pagbabayad sa Pampanga ay sa December pa magbabayad. Malaking kalokohan,” he emphasized.

“Huwag tayong umasa na matitigil ang ASF kung ganyan ang sistemang ginagawa ng Department of Agriculture. Dapat bayaran nang tama, bayaran agad. Kung hindi, gaya sa sinasabi ko, puwede in three months’ time, aabot sa walong milyon na baboy,” Briones added.

AGAP party-list Representative Rico Geron suggested that the Agriculture Department increase the amount to 70% of the market value of each hog culled, citing the cost of a fattener pig at P10,000 to P12,000 per head.

The P3,000 financial assistance is not even half the market value of each animal, the lawmaker noted during the same forum.

Geron also called on the government to stop importing pork products.

“Doon sa ating panawagan na itigil ang pag-import. Alam n’yo ho ‘yung konsepto na kayo ay nagwawalis ng inyong bakuran dahil madumi tapos ‘yung kapitbahay mo ay kita mong doon tinatapon ang basura niya,” Geron said.

“Linisin muna natin at patigilin muna natin ‘yung potential na magdadala ng sakit dito sa ating bansa,” he added. —VDS, GMA News