Oton ASF-affected hog raisers receive P1.6-M aid from Iloilo govt
Posted by: RAFIS DA6 | Posted at: January 27, 2023
Aiming to regain the hog industry in Oton, Iloilo after being affected by African Swine Fever (ASF), the Iloilo Provincial Government turned over a financial assistance amounting to P1,646,000.00 for 189 hog raisers on January 19, 2023.
This is the first batch of distribution after the rigid validation of the Provincial Veterinary Office (ProVet) for cash assistance. Also, side by side during the financial distribution, the Department of Agriculture Western Visayas through its Regional ASF Task Force distributed 400 packs of vegetable seeds to hog raisers.
“As I can recall, it started around October 2022, ASF has caused a lot of hardship to many swine growers. Apang ang atun gobeyernong local ang wala gid nagapabaya diri sa atun sa pag-atipan sang kinahanglanon sang atun mga kasimanwa nga biktima sang kasubong sini nga mga trahedya ukon kalamidad sa banwa. Rest assured nga ang atun banwa nagatinguha gid nga magbulig. Ang akon lang ginapangabay kag ginahinyo sa inyo, nga magbinuligay kag mag-intindihanay, mag kooperar lang kita. Kay amu ina ang essential nga parti sa madasig nga pagsolbar sang mga problema nga naga abot sa atun komunidad”, said Municipal Mayor Sofronio Fusin, Jr.
The Municipal Agriculture Office of Oton has been instrumental in the processing of necessary documents and needed validation to avail the financial assistance ranging from 7,000 to 30,000 per hog raiser depending on the assessed and validated number of affected hogs. Oton has over 500 recorded swine growers and around 3,000 pigs were culled due to ASF infections.
“Sa termino ni Gov. [Defensor] mabato kita sa ASF. May mga pagsulundan kita nga igapatuman para indi na kita mabalikan sang ASF. May pagbag-o na sa atun mga practices. Naging prone kita because of our poor practices, gani bag-uhon natun ang startehiya, indi kita mag-untat sagud sang baboy, lainon lang natun ang atun stratehiya kag practices, said Dr. Jonic Natividad, DA Western Visayas Focal Person for ASF Task Force and Chief of Regulatory Division.
Dr. Darrel Tabuada, Iloilo Provincial Veterinarian also recalled experiences during the times when they needed to depopulate infected hogs. He shares the unexplainable faces and feelings of both hog growers and taskforce members because of lack of sleep, tiring and stressful days.
“Today is the start sang atun pagbangon. Akon pirmi ginahambal, mabawi kita sa 2023. Ang napangayo namun sa farmers nga buligan natun nga makabangon ang hog industry diri sa Oton. We assured you that the provincial government under the leadership of Gov. Arthur Defensor Jr. is in full support to the Municipality of Oton para makabangon kita.
Iloilo Provincial Governor Arthur Defensor, Jr. issued an Executive Order No. 011 last Monday stipulating the recovery program of ASF-affected areas. The provincial government has crafted processes and guidelines for the recovery of hog raisers. ### By Maria Corazon M. Buala/DA-RAFIS 6; Photos by Jerem V. De Guzman/DA-RAFIS 6
