African swine fever reported in 7 villages in M'lang, Cotabato

KIDAPAWAN CITY - Seven villages in M'lang, Cotabato have been found to have an outbreak of the African swine fever over the weekend, the town vice mayor said.

At least a dozen hogs were killed due to the ASF, M'lang Vice Mayor Joselito Piñol said.

Piñol said that the ASF was first reported in New Antique and New Lawaan then spread to five areas nearby.

The affected villages were placed under tight watch, with borders temporarily closed to prevent the entry and exit of live pigs, to prevent the escalation of ASF to other areas.

"In Barangay New Antique alone, at least 8 pigs died last week and there are also reported deaths in nearby Baranggay New Lawaan," Piñol said in a radio interview.

He ordered the temporary butchering of all hogs for commercial purposes to prevent the spread of ASF.

At least 20 hogs were scheduled to be slaughtered in the town's double A slaughterhouse, Piñol said.

The vice mayor said he suspects that the virus came from processed meat chorizo bought from an ambulant vendor by affected hog raisers in Barangay New Antique.

"We conducted investigation and we found out that those raising hogs in these areas are using feeds in growing their hogs. However a hog raiser that was severely affected with the ASF confessed that a leftover processed meat was fed to some of the pigs," he said.

Piñol said he will propose to the municipal council during their regular session on Wednesday that M'lang be placed under a state of calamity. This will allow the town to use the 5% Quick Response Funds amounting to more or less P20 million to assist affected hog raisers.

The city official said he will refer the matter to the Department of Agriculture Regional Office 12 and the Cotabato provincial government for possible financial aid to affected hog raisers. —KG, GMA News