By Greg Refraccion
Only two Bataan towns and its lone city are free from African swine fever (ASF)— Limay, Mariveles, and Balanga City.
Dr. Alberto Venturina, the Bataan veterinarian, said his office had not received any report of ASF cases in the said places. He said his office is now processing pertinent documents to indemnify affected hog farmers from the nine towns. As to the amount of the indemnification rate, Venturina said there was none yet “because we have yet to meet next week to set a clear process of payment.”
In the last several months, the provincial veterinary office implemented strict protocols for hogs taken to slaughterhouses. The lack of local hog raisers gave rise to the high cost of pork in the local market, ranging from P320 to P380 per kilo of pork.
Meat traders in Balanga import pork from as far as Tarlac and Pampanga provinces since local hog raisers ceased operation two years ago and have yet to get back to business.