Two state agencies have agreed to get tough on passengers and importers who bring into the country pork products from countries affected by the outbreak of African Swine Fever.
The Bureau of Customs, Manila International Container Port and the National Veterinary Quarantine Service of the Bureau of Animal Industry reminded the public of the ban on pork products from 13 identified areas.
Erastus Austria, district collector of the Customs, said the tight watch on ASF outbreak was part of an order the Department of Agriculture issued in 2018.
The DA came out with the order after outbreaks of African Swine Fever were monitored in these countries: Belgium, Bulgaria, China, Czech Republic, Hungary, Latvia, Moldova, Poland, Romania, Russia, South Africa, Ukraine, and Zambia.
That DA was for a temporary ban on the importation of domestic and wild pigs and their products including pork meat and semen.
The DA in 2018 issued Memorandum Order No. 22 which prohibited the use of catering food wastes/left-overs from the international and domestic airports and seaports as swine swill feed throughout the country.
An ASF awareness campaign is being enforced at the national level to warn the public, especially the arriving passengers and importers, to comply with the policies and regulations set by the BOC and BAI.
