By EDWIN IYO
Correspondent

City Government of Gingoog on Tuesday has temporarily banned the entry of live pigs and pork products from Davao and other areas outside Mindanao affected by the African Swine Fever (ASF).

Gingoog City Vice Mayor Peter M. Unabia even called for strict implementation of measures against ASF, including rigorous conduct of inspections in entry and exit points to ensure that pork and processed pork meat products are intercepted.

“It should be strictly enforced here in Gingoog City,” Unabia said.

Unabia said that he asked the cooperation of Gingoognons not to bring any fresh meats of pork and processed food from said places.

Unabia also announced that there were contributions from the Hog Raisers Association, along with the National Meat Inspection Service or NMIS, Department of Agriculture livestock, Agriculture Training Institute or ATI to support protecting the city against ASF.

“Makalolooy atong kahayupan atong local nga industriya kung dili kini mahatagn ug igong action,” said Unabia.

City Mayor Erick G. Cañosa on Tuesday issued the Executive Order banning the entry of all processed food of pork fresh meat pork from said places.

Northern Mindanao Hogs Growers Association President Dr. Benjamin Alberece said as of this moment local meats and locally processed food from provinces of Bukidnon, Misamis Oriental and other places in the region are still safe from the ASF.

“We should act together,” said Abarece urging other local government units in the region to do their action in preventing the spread of ASF.

Quarantines have been established in Bukidnon and in Magsaysay, Misamis Oriental, Iligan and other entry points of the region said Albarece.

The closed-in monitoring throughout the region had been done regularly a day after when the virus discovered in Davao and other areas said Albarece.

“Atong gipaniguro nga walay ASF makasasulod sa atong dapit,” said Albarece.

In a phone interview, the Bureau of Custom collector John Simon assured the public that no infected meats and processed food can infiltrate in his area of responsibility.

“Sa barko palang haharangin na natin yan “ Simon said.