30 undocumented pigs in transit prompt culling of nearly 1,000 hogs in Pangasinan

Agriculture Secretary William Dar today confirmed the presence of the African Swine Fever virus in Pangasinan, saying 30 undocumented pigs prompted the provincial government to impose culling at nearly 1,000 hogs under the 1-7-10 Protocol.

In a press conference with Manila Mayor Isko Moreno at the Manila City Hall, Dar said a trader transporting hogs from Bulacan was accosted at one of the checkpoints in Pangasinan.

“When they were accosting the trader with the truck, of course, of about 30 heads, wala silang mapakita na mga dokumento. Which means nag-alangan agad ang provincial government and they decided to already hold this truck of about 30 pigs,” Dar said.

Dar told reporters that the Bureau of Animal Industry was asked to take samples from the hogs. “Almost 50% of the hogs that are being transported have been positive with African Swine Fever,” he said.

The Pangasinan provincial government implemented the 1-7-10 Protocol, culling almost 1,000 pigs within the 1 kilometer radius from where the truck was stationed.

Under the protocol, quarantine checkpoints are set up in areas within a 1-kilometer radius of suspected farms—monitoring the movement of live pigs, pork, and pork products.

Within a 7-kilometer radius, authorities are conducting surveillance and limiting animal movement.

Farm owners within the 10-kilometer radius are mandated to report any disease to the DA.

The hogs that were depopulated were not affected by ASF, Dar said. “Wala pang apekto. Hindi pa nahawa. Wala pa. And that’s a good intervention by Provincial Governor Espino to preempt and to prevent the spread of this African Swine Fever virus.”

So far, 20,000 hogs have been culled, including the ones in Pangasinan, Dar  noted.

“One-third of that is only with the virus called African Swine Fever. The two-thirds of the 20,000 have not been affected by African Swine Fever. Because of the protocol, we are depopulating,” he said.

More than 13 areas have been affected, including Bulacan and Pampanga.

“Karamihan nito ay galing Bulacan. Now, in those areas in Bulacan, we are cordoning, quarantining these affected areas. And nearby Pampanga, which is not that many as Bulacan, we are also applying the 1-7-10 Protocol,” Dar said.

He noted Guiguinto as the source of the ASF virus that is affecting many areas in Bulacan.

“From Rodriguez, Rizal, pumuntang Guiguinto. Guiguinto, gumapang na sa Bulacan,” Dar said.

Mayor Moreno, on the other hand, assured the city government of Manila cooperating in preventing the ASF from spreading.

“The city government of Manila will be relentless also, going after to those who are engaging in illegal activities with regards to selling imported products, particularly meat and, in this case, pork,” Moreno said.

“Akala nyo drugs lang ang nare-recycle. Pati ho karne, nire-recycle. Mag-isip kayo kapag sobrang mura. There must be something wrong. ‘Yan ang tinatawag na mura na, marumi pa. Hindi ‘yan sinertipikahan ng ahensiya ng gobyerno na ligtas na kakanin,” he warned.

Dar, Moreno, and members of the Samahang Industriya ng Agrikultura and the National Federation of Hog Farmers Inc. held a boodle fight at the Manila City Hall where they ate lechon and other pork dishes. —VDS, GMA News