NATION
3 Cebu barangays declared ASF hotspots
‘We have deployed the PNP to prevent the exit of live hogs there or entry of new hogs, as containment is now top priority.’
Three upland barangays in Cebu City and two in the municipality of Ginatilan have confirmed active cases of African swine fever (ASF), prompting local officials to establish strict police checkpoints and quarantine zones.
Kenneth Siasar, chief of staff to Cebu City Mayor Nestor Archival, confirmed that Barangays Pamutan, Toong and Buhisan were designated as ASF hotspots after 14 hogs died and at least 52 others tested positive for the virus.
The municipal government deployed police officers to the affected areas to enforce complete containment protocols and prevent the movement of livestock.
“There will be no entry, no exit,” Siasar said. “We have deployed the PNP to prevent the exit of live hogs there or entry of new hogs, as containment is now top priority.”
More than 50 pigs have been isolated or culled to prevent further spread. City officials coordinated with the Department of Public Works and Highways to prepare dedicated burial sites for animal carcasses.
To support affected hog raisers, the Department of Agriculture Central Visayas regional office pledged indemnification assistance for registered farmers.
Compensation rates are set at P4,000 for piglets, P8,000 for growers, and P12,000 for breeders and finishers, subject to a total cap of P50,000 per farm under agency regulations.
Farmers must be registered under the Registry System for Basic Sectors in Agriculture or provide legal proof of farm ownership to qualify for financial aid.
To help offset immediate financial losses, the Cebu City local government began distributing 30 cockerels to backyard raisers and partnered with private organizations to distribute ready-to-lay poultry.