PRESIDENT Rodrigo R. Duterte has approved a proposal to increase financial assistance for backyard hog raisers whose pigs were culled due to an outbreak of African Swine Fever (ASF), raising compensation to P5,000 per head from P3,000.

According to the Department of Agriculture’s (DA) Swine Bulletin No. 11, the increased payouts were approved during a Cabinet meeting on Oct. 11.

“President Rodrigo R. Duterte approved the recommendation of Agriculture Secretary William D. Dar to increase the financial assistance given to backyard raisers whose hogs were culled due to African Swine Fever (ASF), from P3,000 to P5,000 per head. This means previous recipients will receive an additional P2,000 per culled pig,” it noted.

The Cabinet members also approved measures to prevent the spread of the virus to other areas in Luzon. These include the imposition of “lock down” procedures in Bulacan and Pampanga to control the movement of pigs and pork products in affected areas; and prosecuting hog raisers and traders caught trading in and transporting live hogs, as well as slaughtering ASF-infected pigs and selling ASF-infected products.

“We must step up our surveillance and monitoring of transport of live pigs as well as pork products,” Mr. Dar said.

The DA reported that about 12,000 pigs in more than 20 barangays in Luzon, specifically in Rizal, Bulacan, Quezon City, and Pampanga, were confirmed to be infected by ASF.

The DA has been enforcing the 1-7-10 protocol in ASF-infected areas together with local government units, the military, police, and other government agencies to manage and contain the virus. Hogs within a one-kilometer radius are immediately culled and buried while area is disinfected. The seven-kilometer radius is a surveillance zone for sampling and testing of other pigs. Within 10 kilometers, entry and exit of animals is restricted. — Vincent Mariel P. Galang

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