City’s Babay ASF Ordinance up for review

The City Council committee on agriculture, chaired by Councilor Jay R. Pascual, is set to discuss the proposed Ordinance creating the Cagayan de Oro City Anti-African Swine Fever (ANTI-ASF) Task Force and Technical Working Group, adopting and implementing the “Bantay ASF sa Barangay” also known as the Babay ASF Program.

In his letter to the City Council, City Mayor Rolando A. Uy said the proposed ordinance is essential in the Department of Agriculture’s categorizing Cagayan de Oro City from a PINK to a YELLOW zone, relative to the ASF Disease Status.

Also, the said ordinance is pursuant to the various provisions of the Local Government Code and several issuances of the Department of Agriculture and to prevent and control the spread of ASF, thereby facilitating the recovery of the hog sector.

Furthermore, the ordinance seeks to strengthen and institutionalize LGU engagement for ASF prevention and control, establish an effective ASF monitoring, surveillance, and reporting system, and strengthen biosecurity measures at the farm level and border control.

It shall also intensify awareness campaigns and other capacity-building activities, assist in the recovery and repopulation of previously affected areas and generate and mobilize resources for an effective implementation of the program.

African Swine Fever (ASF) is a severe viral disease that affects all breed of domestic and wild pigs in the country and has already caused grave production and economic losses in Luzon and other parts of Visayas and Mindanao.