Aklan remains ‘ASF-free’

The entire province including this resort island is still free from the African swine fever (ASF), provincial veterinary quarantine officer Dr. Christine Lyn Melgarejo said.

She added they have been consistent in enforcing stringent biosecurity measures to bar the entry of meat products brought by inbound passengers at the Kalibo International Airport.   

“From Jan. to Oct. this year, we already confiscated around 1,900 kilos of processed meat. This came from the Chinese, South Koreans, domestic tourists, and the overseas Filipino workers,” Melgarejo said.

The Provincial Veterinary Office immediately disposed the confiscated items.

Last September, Gov. Florencio Miraflores ordered a temporary 90-day ban on the entry of live swine and pork products in the province, including canned goods of pork origin and by-products from ASF-affected countries and areas from Luzon.     

The executive order spelled out shipment/re-shipment protocol at seaports and airports for live swine and pork products originating from Luzon intended and passing through the province.

ASF causes high fever, loss of appetite, hemorrhage, and death among domestic and wild pigs./