Only two towns and its lone city are free from African swine fever (ASF)— Limay, Mariveles and Balanga City.

Dr. Alberto Venturina, Bataan veterinarian, said his office had not received any report of ASF cases in the said places. He said his office is now processing pertinent documents for indemnification of affected hog farmers from the nine towns. As to the amount of the indemnification rate, Venturina said there was none yet “because we have yet to meet next week to set a clear process of payment.”

In the last several months, the provincial veterinary office implemented strict protocol on hogs being taken to slaughter house. The lack of local hog raisers gave rise to high cost of pork in the local market, ranging fro P320 to P380 per kilo of pork. Meat traders in Balanga import pork from as far as Tarlac and Pampanga provinces since local hog raisers ceased operation since two years ago and had yet to get back to business.

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