Batangas City implements restrictions on animal checkpoints

By Thiago Santos October 2, 2020 BATANGAS CITY - The Batangas city government has tightened its surveillance of animal checkpoints to preven...

By Thiago Santos
October 2, 2020




BATANGAS CITY - The Batangas city government has tightened its surveillance of animal checkpoints to prevent African Swine Fever (ASF) from entering the city.

This is under the strict implementation of the checkpoints of the Office of the City Veterinarian and Agricultural Services (OCVAS).

Some of the documents that need to be presented to allow travelers with pigs to enter the city are accredited transport carrier license, accredited livestock handler’s license, and trader’s pass from the Provincial Veterinarian (Provet).

If the pigs travel out of the city, they must have an ASF certificate and a barangay certificate.

According to Dr. Macario Hornilla, chief of OCVAS, in case the document is lacking, the pigs can be condemned or returned to their point of origin.

“Upang makontrol ang pagpasok at paglabas ng mga baboy, patuloy ang isinasagawang checkpoints sa mga biyahero ng baboy at ginagawa natin ang masusing pag-iingat upang masiguro ang kaligtasan ng mga alaga ng mga backyard raisers,” Dr. Hornilla said.

The operation of the checkpoint in Barangay Tingga Itaas is twenty-four hours to guard incoming haulers and instruct them to undergo a biosecurity measure or disinfection.

The checkpoint in Barangay Balagtas in Provet has coordination for travelers passing by.

In this regard, a livestock hauler from Bugallon, Pangasinan was not allowed to enter the city's animal checkpoint due to a lack of relevant documents.

Hornilla further stressed that the city remains ASF-free or has not yet recorded an ASF case although it is in the buffer zone (pink) because its neighboring towns are in the infected zone (red).