South Cotabato steps up surveillance and monitoring against African Swine Fever (ASF) after an incursion occurred in General Santos City affecting more than 500 hogs.
The Provincial Veterinary Office together with the barangay officials of the three nearby areas nearest to the city, namely the barangays of Glamang, Silway 7, and Klinan in Polomolok readily strengthened their quarantine checkpoints to prevent any entry of ASF in the province.
Barangay tanods and personnel from the Office of the Municipal Agriculture Office were mobilized to seal the alternate road from Gensan passing through Purok 4 of Brgy. GLamang, which were simultaneously implemented also to other points of entry within the province.
These include the entry points from the following:
Malandag Malungon , Sarangani to Miasong, Tupi
General Santos City to Klinan 6, Polomolok
Tacurong City to Magon, Tangtangan
Tacurong City to Dumagui, Norala
Kulambog, Isulan to Lapuz, Norala
Kulambog, Isulan to Panay, Sto. Nino
Columbio, Sultan KUdarat to San Jose, Koronadal City
Lutayan, Sultan Kudarat to Avancena, Koronadal City
Maitum Sarangani to Brgy. Ned , Lake Sebu
Senator Ninoy Aquino, SK to Brgy. Ned , Lake Sebu.
Laboratory personnel from PVET randomly collected blood samples of the hogs from the three barangays, the nearest from the affected area.
Provincial Veterinarian Flora D. Bigot disclosed that despite the relief from the negative results of the blood samples, South Cotabato still fears for the possible effect of the ASF once it will enter the province considering that, it is the only consistent “green zone” area in the region.
Last year, PVET was awarded as the Most Outstanding Swine Surveillance award given by the Department o Agriculture, Bureau of Animal Industry Veterinary Quarantine Station in Region 12 for its intensified implementation of active surveillance in swine hog raisers against the threat of ASF.
Bigot clarifies that despite the incursion, hogs coming from Gensan Area and other neighboring provinces can still enter South Cotabato if they have proper documents to present.
Incursion means, the infection came from outside sources and not from the inside.
“We have to be very careful at all times.” Bigot said,
PVET conducted recorida following said incident to bring awareness to the people.
