Sentineling in Pilar pig farms

start as Aris issues EO No. 46

TAGBILARAN CITY, Bohol, Sept 7 (PIA) –Slowly and surely, livelihood in family pig-farming in San Vicente Pilar can now resume, as authorities following the national guidelines on African Swine Fever (ASF) and its protocols, allow affected pig-farm residents to slowly re-introduce test pigs in then infected, but totally disinfected farms.

In areas outside of San Vicente, Pilar, pig farmers can already move and transport live pigs and pork including pork products, to other towns.

These however have to pass African Swine Fever (ASF) free test and are accompanied by a Veterinary Health Certificate or in cases when there are no veterinarians in the place, its equivalent Municipal Livestock Inspection Certificate issued by the Office of the Provincial Veterinarian.

Last August 31, Governor Erico Aristotle Aumentado issued Executive Order No. 46, which now reclassifies the ASF Zoning status of Purok 6 in San Vicente Pilar and lifting other zoning classifications in the town.

The order ensued from the Department of Agriculture Bureau of Animal Industry assessment which placed Pilar, Bohol as dark green, which is also reflected in the August 22, 2023 Philippine ASF status and national zoning and movement plan.

Dark green means ASF-free.

For this, the young governor then reclassifies the ASF-infected premises in San Vicente Pilar to Quarantine Area, and for the formerly classified Quarantine Area as the 500 meters from the verified index cases, into Surveillance Area, and further mandating people and communities to strictly keep by the protocols.

And as Purok VI of San Vicente Pilar is now a quarantine area, entry of pigs is still strictly prohibited.

In this area where the farm, piggery or pig pens and cages have been disinfected for the past weeks all have to undergo 20 days of down time or rest time, where the area is allowed to dry.

Here, hog raising is prohibited within the next 20 days.

After the 20 days, owners may be allowed to raise some few ‘test pigs,’or sentinels, these shall be raised for 40 days and within that time, blood samples are gathered and sent regularly for laboratory testing for ASF.

If the test pigs pass the 40 days with laboratory results all showing negative for the disease, then the farm owners can now repopulate the farm to full capacity, considering that the area is now ASF free.

For those inside and outside the 100 meters from the infected area then which is now the quarantine are surveillance and monitoring area, continuous conduct of information, education and communication in the area is mandated.

Apart from that, the governor orders to continue conducting random collection of blood samples for ASF laboratory testing and confirmation.

This is even when people in the barangay can now move and transport their pigs outside, as long as they can present the necessary documents and clearances.

And while the ASF zone classification has been lifted except in San Vicente, all barangays within 7 kilometers from the index case are now surveillance and monitoring areas, continued random blood collection for ASF laboratory testing is on with the OPV processing the tests.

The governor’s order also asks for municipal surveillance and monitoring including the regular submission of Municipal ASF-negative reports by the municipal agriculturist’s office as a priority.

In the barangays, barangay based surveillance and monitoring teams prepare the regular submission of Barangay Negative for ASF reports, to be accomplished by the Barangay Livestock Aides and other barangay workers.

With the EO now in effect, fiesta in honor of the Virgin of the Pillar may not be as drab, and the aroma of grilled pork may signal the return of normalcy in the town’s disrupted hog industry. (PIA-7/Bohol)

HITTING THE RESTART BUTTON. Governor Erico Aristotle Aumentado has just issued the order allowing the reintroduction of sentinel pigs to affected but disinfected farms in San Vicente Pilar. It also allows the movement of live pigs from Pilar, except entering San Vicente, to other places. The carrier however has to present a Veterinary Health Certificate or its equivalent Municipal livestock Inspection Certificate from the Office of the Provincial Veterinarian, the governor’s EO stated. (rahc/PIAboholfiles)