SAN JOSE, Occidental Mindoro (PIA) -- Recent blood samples randomly collected from piggeries in San Jose, Occidental Mindoro tested negative for African Swine Fever (ASF) according to the Municipal Agriculture Office.

In a radio interview, municipal agriculturist  Romel Calingasan said they took 177 blood samples after pigs in ASF-positive areas, namely Sitio Danlog and Balingaso in Brgy. Monteclaro, were culled.

“Mas binigyang-prayoridad natin at mas maraming samples ng dugo [ang] kinuha natin sa buhay na baboy na sa tingin ko [ay] may possible exposure sa mga nag positive case, 

[“We prioritized and collected more blood samples from live swines that I think were possibly exposed to positive cases,”] Calingasan explained.

These areas include barangays Monteclaro, Naibuan, Murtha, and Bayotbot.

With this development, the local government is planning to ask the Bureau of Animal Industry to reclassify the town as a “pink zone”.

The Department of Agriculture defines a pink (buffer) zone as municipalities or cities where ASF is not detected but demarcated immediately around a red zone where an area has been confirmed as an infected zone.

“Magre-request tayo sa BAI na ibalik tayo sa pink zone dahil sa manifestation na nagkaroon na ng negative na result, at ito ay patunay na hindi kumalat sa ating bayan,

[“We are going to request for BAI to classify the municipality back to the pink zone because of the negative result of ASF in our collected swine blood samples which means that the virus did not spread,”] Calingasan said.

He added that when the municipality becomes a pink zone, the prohibition of supplying pork products outside the municipality will be lifted.

“Pwede rin nila (BAI) tayong issuehan ng isang dokumento na nagpapatunay na ang karneng baboy dito ay ligtas sa ASF 

[“We can also get a document certifying that the pork products in our municipality are ASF-free,”] he explained.

The Municipal Agriculturist emphasized that meat produced in the municipality is safe for consumption. However, supplying meat outside the municipality is still prohibited, as the municipality is still classified as a red zone.

“Sa ngayon kasi dahil nasa red zone pa tayo… at ayon sa batas, ipinagbabawal pa ang paglabas ng karne outside ng ating munisipyo. Hindi naman natin sinasabing outbreak ito, pero maganda na rin na nag-iingat tayo na hindi tayo ang pagmulan ng pagkalat ng sakit na ito sa ibang lugar.

[“Currently, as we are still classified as a red zone, supplying pork meat outside the municipality is prohibited according to the regulations. We are not saying that there is a total outbreak of the virus, but this is a good precaution to keep the virus from spreading to other areas,”] he explained.

The MAO continues to conduct monitoring and evaluation of areas that have possibly been exposed to ASF. In addition, meetings at the barangay level are also held to disseminate information on preventive measures versus ASF. (DSG/PIA MIMAROPA – Occidental Mindoro)