TARLAC CITY — Gov. Susan Yap and hog raisers in Tarlac recently
hosted a lechon festival at the Capitol grounds to extinguish the
African Swine Fever [ASF] scare that gripped not only the province
but the entire nation as well.
Yap and other local government officials led the boodle
fight to demonstrate that it is safe to eat pork in the province.
Around 2,500 people took their share of slices from 65 lechon coming
from local hog raisers.
Provincial Veterinarian Dr. Maria Lorna Baculanta said
that Tarlac is free from ASF and that her office is closely monitoring
all pork products entering or passing through the province.
“We are so far so good here in Tarlac. We are an ASF-free
province,” she said noting that the results of tests from reported
deaths of hogs in the northern towns of the province yielded negative
results from ASF and hog cholera.
She added that the lechon festival was aimed to show that
Tarlac remains safe from the dreaded hog disease.
For her part, Yap said that she ordered concerned
departments in the provincial government, including coordinating with
national agencies, to conduct a non-stop monitoring activity to
prevent the entry of ASF in the province.
“We issued an executive order for the temporary ban of
live animals, including frozen foods coming from ASF-infected
provinces,” Yap said adding that the lechon festival will now be a
yearly occurrence in Tarlac.
Alfred Ng, National Federation of Hog Farmers vice chairman, lauded
Tarlac’s efforts to prevent the entry of ASF in the province although
he noted that people should not worry eating meat products except for
health reasons.
Hog raisers who participated in the lechon festival are the Tarlac
Association of swine and poultry raisers, Inc.; Pilmico Animal
Nutrition Corporation; Red Dragon Feed Livestock and Foods, Inc,;
Chareon Porkhand Foods Philippines Corporation; Brookside Group of
Companies; Hypig Genetics Inc.; San Miguel Foods Corporation; Univet
Nutrition and Animal Healthcare Company; Bamban, Concepcion and Capas
Swine Group; Golden Acres Farm, Inc.; Vet Works, Inc.; Mabilang Farm;
OJJ Far; Gaya Lim Farm and Wendy Tangcongco.
Also present during the lechon festival are Samahan ng Industria at
Agrikultura [Sinag] Chairman Rosendo So, Vice Governor Carlito
“Casada” David, Board Members Romeo Evangelista Jr., Joy Gilbert
Lamorena, Danilo Asiaten, Jude Joseph David, Dennis Norman Go and
Danilo David, Mayors Christian Yap of Victoria and Diosdado Reginaldo
of Ramos, municipal and city councilors, PNP personnel, businessmen
and religious and civic groups.