The Negros Occidental provincial government has vowed to sustain the fight against threats to its multi-billion swine and poultry industry, particularly the African swine fever (ASF) and the highly pathogenic avian influenza or bird flu, to protect the livelihood of Negrenses.

This was the assurance of Governor Eugenio Jose Lacson on Monday after veterinary quarantine personnel disposed of PHP1.4 million worth of undocumented table eggs that entered Bredco port here last week, an act which drew various reactions from netizens, including Victorias City Mayor Javier Miguel Benitez, who expressed regret on Facebook over the food supply that supposedly went to waste.

“We’re very serious (with bird flu) as serious as we are with ASF. Anything that will threaten our livelihood, especially livestock. Whether it’s pork or chicken, we will continue to protect it. You must remember that losing this industry could have a very long-term effect to the province that we cannot afford,” Lacson told reporters.

The seized shipment of 240,000 pieces or 8,000 trays of eggs arrived here on a delivery truck on Jan. 5 en route to Iloilo.

According to the city government, the fake and expired shipper’s permit presented at the port showed the eggs supposedly came from D. Santillan Piggery Farm in Barangay Mancilang, Madridejos town in Bantayan Island, Cebu, which is not covered by the poultry ban in Negros Occidental and Bacolod.

With the lack of proper documents, however, veterinary quarantine personnel could not confirm whether the eggs indeed came from a bird flu-free area.

“I respect the sentiments of Mayor Javi. It’s just that in the first place, those eggs were not supposed to be here. Once it’s questionable as to origin, we cannot take any chances,” Lacson said.

In a statement, City Legal Officer Romeo Carlos Ting Jr. said the shipper failed to present all the other pertinent documents, including a veterinary health certificate; certification that the eggs were sourced from farms with no incidence of avian influenza in the past 14 days before shipment; veterinary shipping permit from the Bureau of Animal Industry; and certificate of acceptance from the Provincial Veterinary Office of Negros Occidental.

Lacson noted that the province is cooperating with the city, headed by Mayor Alfredo Abelardo Benitez, in keeping watch over the prohibited poultry and pork products entering the Bredco port.

“They have agreed to join us in our fight against avian flu and also ASF. It became the responsibility of Bacolod city government to handle those eggs that were left behind here,” he added.

The governor said the eggs supply could not just be shipped back to the place of origin since the owners of the shipment have already instructed the delivery truck personnel to just leave the eggs at the port.

Negros Occidental, which has an PHP8-billion poultry industry, has prohibited the entry of live birds and poultry products, such as meat and eggs, from areas affected by the bird flu in December last year.

Having a PHP6-billion hog industry, the province has banned as well pork and its by-products from ASF-affected areas, the latest of which include the neighboring islands of Panay and Guimaras. (PNA)