DA assures no ASF in Caraga region
by Mike CrismundoBUTUAN CITY – “No cause for alarm because there is no case of African Swine Fever (ASF) in Northeastern Mindanao due to tighter measures to prevent the contagious disease from entering Caraga region,” stressed Emmylou T. Presilda, regional spokesperson of the Department of Agriculture said.
In an exclusive interview with The Manila Bulletin late Thursday afternoon, the DA 13 regional spokesperson also further stressed that the agency along with other concerned line agencies of the government and local government units are working together to prevent the entry of ASF.
“As of this time, Caraga region is ASF free”, Presilda pointed out.
She said all preventive measures were already in place to prevent the entry of ASF in Caraga region.
Along with the task force, the agency already secured all borders and entry points by establishing quarantine checkpoints in Sta. Josefa (Agusan del Sur-Monkay (Compostela Valley) boundary, and Loreto (Agusan del Sur)-Laac (ComVal).
Checkpoints in Pulang-Lupa (Trento, Agusan del Sur) and other existing veterinary quarantine checkpoints inland are already strengthened, including all airports and seaports, The DA 13 spokesperson said.
“Regular disease monitoring and surveillance are intensified through Regional Animal Disease Diagnostic Laboratory,” she said.
“Our intensified information dissemination campaign also went into high gear,” Ms. Presilda said.
She added that the agency spearheaded by DA 13 Regional Executive Director Abel James I. Monteagudo is closely coordinating with the other concerned agencies of the government and local government units in an objective to prevent the entry of ASF in the region.
In a related development, the provincial government of Surigao del Norte on Thursday has stepped up measures to prevent the entry of ASF in the province.
Gov. Francisco T. Matugas’ already issued Executive Order (EO) 20-006 “strictly prohibiting the entry of live hogs and pork-related products from regions” affected by the highly-contagious ASF.
Matugas issued the order amid the spread of ASF in the Davao region and other parts of the country.
“The order bans the entry of live hogs and pork products from Davao region, particularly, Davao Occidental which was initially affected by ASF in that region,” the provincial chief executive added.