By Froilan Gallardo
Special Correspondent
A new outbreak of the African Swine Flu (ASF) decimates more than 200 pig stocks in the towns of Maigo and Bacolod in Lanao del Norte, agriculture officials said today.
Dr. Julesben Maquiling, DA 10 chief of ASF unit, said a one-kilometer “Green Zone” has been established as of yesterday in Barangays Sta. Cruz, Maigo town, and Liangan East in Bacolod town to prevent the spread of the highly contagious viral disease of domestic pigs.
Maquiling said more than 44 backyard farmers who depended on the pigs for food and income have been impacted by the latest outbreak.
“Most of these farmers raised two or three pigs as safety nets in times of hardships,” Maquiling said.
Maquiling said agriculture workers have culled 127 hogs in Barangay Sta. Cruz and another 107 hogs in Barangay Liangan East.
He said the towns of Maigo and Bacolod have raised P2 thousand for each hog that was culled to help the farmers.
Maquiling said the provincial government of Lanao del Norte also added another P2 thousand to cushion the economic impact.
DA 10 Regional Director Carlene Collado said the new ASF outbreak was detected after serum tests on the ailing pigs were sent to the Regional Animal Disease Diagnostic Laboratory in Cagayan de Oro.
Collado said biosecurity measures have been set up around the “Green Zone” and adjoining barangays to monitor the spread of the virus.
The spread of African Swine Fever waned last may after agriculture officials set up quarantine checkpoints and footbaths along the highways.
At its height, in February, more than 2,000 hogs in Lanao del Norte and adjoining Misamis Oriental province were culled by agriculture officials.
