Aklan On Red Alert Vs ASF; PNP Asked To Monitor Online Sellers

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KALIBO, Aklan- The Aklan provincial government has raised the province to a red alert level following the suspected African Swine Fever case in Iloilo.

Aklan Governor Jose Enrique Miraflores, upon the prodding of the Provincial Veterinarian Office, has called on the Philippine National Police and other government enforcement agencies to conduct simultaneous operations against the possible entry of meat products into the province.

Based on the report of the Office of Provincial Agriculture in Iloilo, the suspected case was found in a hog farm in Oton, Iloilo. The specimens were brought to the Metro Manila laboratory of the Bureau of Animal Industry, an attached agency of the Department of Agriculture (DA), for confirmatory testing.

Provincial board member Nemesio Neron, chair on the committee of Agriculture told the Boracay Island News Network that the PNP has also been urged to monitor postings of Aklanons online sellers as they may unknowingly offers meat products for sell that came from outside the province of Aklan./

This is especially given emphasis since the yuletide season is coming and many online sellers are tempted to sell ham that comes from outside Aklan. The PNP has been asked to look online. Sellers offering ham and other meat products for sale If the online sellers are found offering meat products, they will be told by the police to take down the said posts.

In the meeting, the PNP has agreed to conduct spontaneous checkpoints especially in the borderline of Antique, Iloilo and even from the Caticlan JettyPort.

The Philippine Coast Guard and the Philippine Maritime Police have also vowed to conduct spontaneous checkpoints and manual inspections of the cargoes from motorbancas to Boracay coming from the province of Romblon.

“I ask the people of Aklan to patronize our local ham and meat products in the province, especially during this Christmas and ati-atihan season. We have sufficient supply in the province and in order for us to survive this possible crisis on meat products, we must cooperate and patronize our own,” Neron said.