Occidental Mindoro bans live hog entry amid swine fever case

CALAPAN CITY — The provincial government has temporarily banned the entry of live hogs for slaughter from other provinces following the confirmation of an active African swine fever (ASF) case in San Jose, Oriental Mindoro.

Gov. Eduardo Gadiano signed Executive Order No. 63-B, series of 2026, on Sept. 11, ordering the immediate suspension of live hog shipments from outside Occidental Mindoro, including neighboring Oriental Mindoro, to prevent the spread of the highly contagious viral disease.

The ASF case was detected in Barangay Central, San Jose Municipal Agriculturist Romel Calingasan confirmed this during a local government’s radio program on Sept. 9.

According to the Municipal Agriculture Office of San Jose, the first recorded cases of ASF took place in July 2024.

Calingasan said as many as 5,092 heads of swine have been tallied there in the latest inventory.

He said 18,184 heads were recorded in Occidental Mindoro as of July by the Philippine Statistics Authority.

The governor’s directive will remain in effect until further notice.

Fresh, frozen, and processed pork products may still enter the province, provided they comply with government inspection and biosecurity requirements.

Shipments of fresh or frozen pork must be accompanied by a shipping permit, a National Meat Inspection Service Meat Inspection Certificate and a certificate of acceptance from the destination municipality.

For processed pork, whether uncooked or cooked, distributors must present Food and Drug Administration licenses to operate, certificates of product registration and municipal acceptance certificates.

Under the order, live hogs for slaughter must be sourced only from within Occidental Mindoro.

Movement of hogs among mainland municipalities will also require clearance and a negative ASF PCR test valid for three days.

The Office of the Provincial Veterinarian, Philippine Coast Guard, Philippine National Police and local governments have been tasked with enforcing biosecurity checkpoints at major entry points.

Disinfection facilities, including heavy-duty sprayers and footbaths, have been deployed at strategic entry points.

Maritime police and Bantay Dagat volunteers will also patrol coastal waters to intercept unauthorized boats carrying undocumented pork and other meat products.

Violators may face trade bans, confiscation or condemnation of livestock and meat products, and possible cancellation of business permits and shipping licenses.

The provincial government also said violators would shoulder the costs of testing, quarantine and disposal of infected hogs.

ASF does not infect humans but can cause severe losses to the hog industry because of its high mortality rate among infected pigs. /mcm