DA pays P27 M for hogs culled in CSur

PILI, Camarines Sur --- The Department of Agriculture (DA) has recently released some P27.7 million to pay for the hogs culled to prevent the spread of African swine fever (ASF) in Camarines Sur province in February this year.

Emily Bordado, DA Bicol spokesperson, said exactly 1,133 raisers voluntarily turned over a total of 5,554 hogs to veterinary authorities for culling in February.

Raisers in the towns of Bombon, Calabanga, Magarao, Minalabac, Canaman, Camaligan and Naga City which have completed the culling protocol were already compensated by the DA.

Just last week, the DA paid a total of P960,000 to 39 backyard raisers in seven barangays of Camaligan town in Camarines Sur.

The DA has released P960,000 to pay for the hogs of 39 backyard raisers in seven villages of Camaligan town in Camarines Sur. (Photo by Emil Pasumbal/DA Bicol)

“These were the owners of the 192 hogs depopulated as part of the protocol to stem the spread of ASF, which has already affected 10 municipalities in the province. The infected barangays in the municipality identified within the one-kilometer radius of the ground zero include San Roque, San Juan, San Marcos, Sto. Domingo, Marupit, San Francisco and Tarosanan,” she said.

Meanwhile, hogs depopulation remains in progress in the towns of Cabusao, Gainza and Pamplona in Camarines Sur.

Bordado said DA has joined forces with the local government and stakeholders to control the spread of ASF as the region is the gateway to Visayas and Mindanao.

“Even amid the threat and hazard posed by coronavirus disease (Covid-19) pandemic, continuous surveillance and strict monitoring of the implementation of the ASF zoning restrictions, border control, and implementation of biosafety measures must be sustained to ultimately achieve an ASF-free status,” Bordado said. (PIA5/DDC/DA Bicol)