BUTUAN CITY -- Another batch of ASF Prevention and Control virtual forum was held on June 24-25 for the four remaining local government units (LGUs) in the province of Agusan del Norte and media partners from the four provinces of the region.
The virtual forum hosted by the DA- Regional Agriculture and Fisheries Information Section (RAFIS) aims to strengthen information dissemination and public awareness about the die-hard virus, especially in the LGUs, elaborating also the role of every barangay on the prevention and containment of such virus is detected.
On June 24, SB Members, Punong Barangays, Barangay Committee Chairperson in Agriculture, Municipal Agriculturists, and Department of Interior and Local Government (DILG) Operation Officers from the Municipalities of Jabonga, RTR, Tubay, and Santiago in Agusan del Norte participated the forum.
On June 25, media partners including the Philippine Information Agency (PIA) provincial managers in the four provinces attended the event.
Presenting the Swine Mortality Insurance of the Philippine Crop Insurance Corporation (PCIC), Insurance Underwriter of PCIC – Northern Mindanao Ernesto Chavez Jr. underscored the necessity of availing the free insurance coverage of PCIC on or before June 30, 2021, since it will be a safety net for the swine raisers especially with the rising ASF cases in the region. Without the insurance, the swine affected will no longer be accommodated.
As per Memorandum from the Agriculture Secretary William D. Dar, hogs culled due to the ASF starting July 1, 2021, will be shouldered only by the PCIC. The payout for every pig that contracts ASF has doubled from the original P5,000 to the current P10,000. This is one way to ensure that hog raisers will be encouraged to report affected pigs and to halt the spreading of the virus.
Moreover, swine raisers in the Caraga region are encouraged to avail the free insurance coverage of PCIC by registering to the Registry System for Basic Sectors in Agriculture (RSBSA) and visiting their City/Municipal Agriculture Office to fill up the PCIC Livestock Application Form and filled some necessary documents.
The virtual forum is one of the efforts of the Regional ASF Task Force, spearheaded by its communication team to intensify awareness and strengthen cooperation among agriculture stakeholders in the region. This is in coordination with the Department of the Interior and Local Government (DILG)-Caraga, Provincial Veterinary Office of Agusan del Norte, National Meat Inspection Service (NMIS)-Caraga, and the PCIC – Northern Mindanao. (DA Caraga/PIA Caraga)
