ASF Watch
ESB – Authorities in Northern Samar have confiscated 347 packs of undocumented meat products in a port in Allen town following the intensified quarantine checkpoints against cases of African Swine Fever (ASF) in the province.
The frozen and assorted meat products valued at P80,000 were loaded in a private vehicle when it was intercepted by personnel of the Bureau of Animal Industry (BAI)-Eastern Visayas and the Northern Samar Provincial Veterinary Office at the Balwharteco port in Barangay Looc, in the said town on July 5.
“Upon inspection, there were no documents presented which is required when shipping meat products or live animals,” said Ailet Bautista, BAI’s livestock inspector.
According to the official, the shipment violates the Department of Agriculture (DA) Administrative Order 05.
“It does not also comply with the existing ban on pork and pork products which the governor issued last January,” she said.
“Even if the food was preserved or processed, they must be stored in a container with a specific temperature, chilled at least,” added Bautista.
The 240 kilograms of confiscated items from the National Capital Region were shipped on a van, loaded on roll-on, roll-off (Roro) vessel and supposed to be transported to several locations in the region, according to the provincial government.
In coordination with Allen Municipal Agriculture Officer Judy Morado and Municipal Disaster Risk Reduction Management Officer Alberto Cabacang, the confiscated meat items were immediately disposed and buried.
Northern Samar Governor Edwin Ongchuan earlier ordered a temporary ban on the entry of live hogs and pork products from other provinces as a precautionary measure against ASF. (ROEL T.AMAZONA/RONALD O.REYES
