It seems there is another side to these reports of rampant smuggling activities of hogs coming from Negros Island entering Cebu through the southern towns.
“Mapugos na lang og [hog] smuggling kay ang Bureau of Animal Industry [BAI] dili sila mo-issue og permit tungod anang ilang gitawag nga injunction,” La Libertad, Negros Oriental Councilor Redgil Medes told 𝗦𝘂𝗴𝗯𝗼 𝗡𝗲𝘄𝘀 on November 7.
Councilor Medes told Gov. Gwen Garcia and Dumanjug Mayor Gungun Gica that the BAI has not issued shipping permits for hogs from Negros to be transported to Cebu for almost two years already.
She added this could have prompted the desperate traders to resort to the illegal activity of smuggling unregistered hogs, the most recent of which was reported in Dumanjug allegedly with the knowledge of police authorities.
Also present at the meeting were Department of Agriculture (DA7) executive director Angel Enriquez, BAI Veterinary Quarantine Services 7 Dr. Gae An Labayan, Dumanjug Police Station OIC PCapt Michael Calaurian, Philippine Coast Guard (PCG) Negros Station Commander John Hoffer Olis and PCG Cebu Station Commander Jelan Paran.
The injunction that Councilor Medes mentioned was the Writ of Preliminary Injunction (WPI) granted by the Court of Appeals Twentieth Division preventing BAI from implementing its economically destructive culling and zone mapping policy because in Cebu in the entire duration that the case filed by Cebu Province is pending in court.
It was in March 2023 when the BAI declared an outbreak of the deadly African Swine Fever (ASF) in Cebu, and proceeded to indiscriminately culling (killing) hogs within the 500-meter radius in Carcar City from where the ASF case was allegedly discovered.
Gov. Garcia vehemently opposed the ridiculous policy and ordered it stopped in Cebu, along with the filing of charges against BAI officials. The Governor was proven right and the BAI wrong when there had been no reported massive deaths of hogs in Cebu in the months thereafter, despite the BAI’s insistence that the virus is contagious and a sure death sentence for the afflicted hogs.
During the meeting, Gov. Garcia informed Dr. Labayan that the Capitol is giving the BAI 24 hours to answer the allegation that the agency is withholding shipping permits for hogs from Negros entering Cebu. If this is unheeded, the LGUs might be constrained to file charges against the agency.
Provincial veterinarian Dr. Mary Rose Vincoy said that effective November 8, hog traders will only need to secure a veterinary health certificate, a livestock permit, and an ASF rapid test for hogs intended for slaughter.
Mayor Gica and Councilor Medes welcomed the policy change considering that this will make a positive development for their communities especially for Negros Island where hog raising is a primary source of livelihood.
“Hulog ng langit si Governor Gwen para sa atong mga kaigsuonan sa Negros, dili lang sa Negros, labi na gyod sa Lalawigan sa Sugbo. Naprobar gyod na nato rong gabhiona nga ang rason nganong mag-illegal ning mga taga Negros tungod kay nagdumili pag-issue og shipping permit ang BAI,” Mayor Gica told 𝗦𝘂𝗴𝗯𝗼 𝗡𝗲𝘄𝘀.
“I think we will have a merry, merry Christmas and a happy new year. Mao ni impact aning gibuhat ni Governor Gwen sa atong Lalawigan sa Sugbo kay sigurado ang atong mga kaigsuonan, dili lang sa Cebu, ang mga negosyante nga lechonero, maka-enjoy niini,” he added. | BJR