No more free ASF disinfection

For vehicles crossing to Bohol

CORTES, Bohol, Feb 13 (PIA) – They may have crossed Bohol borders after getting free car wash and disinfection then, but now, vehicles owners crossing to Bohol from Leyte and Mindanao will soon have to shell out some fees for the vehicle wash and disinfection.

This, as measures to make sure African Swine Fever (ASF) could not enter Bohol gets reinforced and strengthened to make sure protection and prevention from entry of the dreaded virus which is fatal to hogs is sustained, without bleeding local ASF funds dry.

Among the leading preventive actions and in compliance with the Executive Order No. 56 series of 2020 which established the quarantine regulations in the entry of livestock cargo, livestock container vans, poultry and fishery feeds and raw materials for feeds into Bohol, as well as Executive Order No. 3 series of 2021 which totally bans hog transport vehicles and livestock container vans from entering Bohol, the disinfection which is now implemented even to private vehicles can only happen after visible animal wastes are washed off the vehicles.

A thorough washing to make sure that even private vehicles from Leyte and other areas where there are reported outbreaks can not bring in the virus, this has also slurped anti ASF program funds fast.

Afraid that the heaping costs of equipment, water and disinfectants could cripple some other program components, Bohol Provincial veterinarian Dr Stella Marie Lapiz hinted that to make the mandatory disinfection sustainable, authorities should start exacting fees for the port services before their vehicles can go out of the port and move elsewhere in Bohol.

Done together with a strong border control, sturdy policy support and the constant practice of biosecurity measures as well with information and education communication advocacy on risky coastal towns and barangays, Bohol’s anti ASF measures have also been getting string support from hog industry stakeholders from small backyard growers to large scale farm operators.

In fact, on the matter of washing and disinfection of all vehicles entering Bohol, even if these are not loading hogs, with Bohol now totally banning the entry of non-Boholano owned hog transport vehicles via Executive Order No. 3, series of 2021, a team os now being composed to man the washing and disinfection services.

“Vehicle owners, when left on their own to wash their vehicles, may not do so as thoroughly and it could still bring in the virus through its hard to reach areas, that a local team who will be trained which areas in the vehicle to clean, would be a better alternative, so a much better disinfection becomes more effective, Dr. Lapiz explains during the consultative meeting.

Meanwhile, Marlito Uy, owner and general manager of Marcela Farms has also pledged help to the Office of the Provincial Veterinarian’s ASF Program, even as he donated high pressure car washers to facilitate the task of a more efficient disinfection.

Marcela Farms, which has its main farm in Lourdes Cortes, keeps nearly 40,000 heads in their farm, and a single case of ASF here could potentially decimate the whole population.

With an annual production of over 50,000 metric tons and with backyard farmer raisers producing the 82 percent of the entire figure, any hog disease can potentially wipe out local hog population and send many families to hunger.

Dr Lapiz also reports they have requested the Sangguniang Panlalawigan for a supplemental budget for the ASF programs.

The program has also a standby fund of P2 million earlier allocated for the Provincial SAF response. (rahchiu/PIA-7/Bohol)

BEFORE THEY CAN GO HOME. Hog containers and transport vehicles from Bohol would have to be given a complete dousing carwash and disinfection against ASF before then can be allowed to drive out of the ports, as Bohol puts stringent measures against ASF. (PIABohol.manilatimes)

STRENGTHENING BORDER CONTROL. Dr. Stella Marie Lapiz, Bohol Provincial Veterinarian calls on Boholanos, especially in coastal communities, to help the province against the entry of small crafts bearing live pig, pork and processed pork. (PIA Bohol)