(Mayor Adrianne Mae Cuevas of Palayan City and Mayor Allan Xystus Gamilla of Bongabon hold MOA against ASF. Photo by Armand Galang)
PALAYAN CITY – This city and its adjacent municipality of Bongabon, represented by their respective local chief executives, have forged an agreement to jointly and mutually protect territories from African swine fever (ASF).
The memorandum of agreement signed by Palayan City Mayor Adrianne Mae Cuevas and Bongabon Mayor Allan Xystus Gamilla, along with other top officials, on Wednesday stipulated protocol on the movement, sale and distribution of hogs and meat products within their areas of responsibility.
Cuevas said that after a series of tests the city has been tested negative for ASF, “And I want to keep it that way.”
The city has also extended tests to its farthest village to make sure no hog is afflicted by ASF, beyond the 1-7-10 protocol being implemented by the Department of Agriculture (DA).
Cuevas stressed that pork is the most consumeed food, next to rice, by the townsfolk. “Hindi baka, hindi kambing, “ she said.
Gamilla, on the other hand, found the occasion to further strengthen the relationship of the two LGUs noting that the city used to be part of Bongabon, being the town’s former stock farm until its creation as an independent political subdivision.
In this connection, Gamilla said, his town will procure all its pork requirement which is estimated at about 2,000 heads from the date of signing to April 2020.
For her part, Cuevas advised swine raisers here to go to Bongabon slaughter house for their need as she noted that such facility has almost “zero chance of being contaminated” because of the strict action against ASF being taken by the LGU.
Celso Mananguit, city veterinarian, said the agreement is a big leap for swine industry in both LGUs.
