Palace contingency funds tapped to help ASF-affected hog raisers
The Office of the President has committed to set aside funds to assist hog raisers affected by the spread of the African swine fever (ASF) in the country. The use of the OP contingent funds was approved by the President following the request made by Agriculture Secretary William Dar during the Cabinet meeting in Malacañang onWednesday, according to presidential spokesman Salvador Panelo.
“To address the issue of African swine fever, the Chief Executive approved Agriculture Secretary William Dar’s request to use the remaining contingent fund of the Office of the President for the indemnification of hog raisers,” Panelo said.
Agriculture Secretary Dar has reportedly sought R1 billion from OP to augment the assistance package for the affected hog raisers.
Also approved by the President was the establishment of cold storage areas in the ports of Manila, Subic, Batangas, Cebu, and Davao “for 100 percent monitoring of meat products’ entry,” Panelo said.
The President’s latest directives came as the government stepped up efforts to contain and stop the outbreak of the viral disease affecting pigs in the country.
Around 70,000 pigs have been culled by agriculture authorities since the ASF hit the country last August.
ASF cases have been reported in Rizal, Bulacan, Pampanga, Nueva Ecija, Pangasinan, and a number of areas in Metro Manila.
President Duterte has ordered all government agencies to coordinate, as well as to adopt policies and institute measures to manage, contain, and control the transmission of ASF in the country. Concerned government offices have also been directed to provide assistance, alternative livelihood, and skills training to those affected
The COA also found that the Department of Budget and Management’s Procurement Service (PS-DBM) got R17.04 billion in the same year from government agencies for the procurement of various items and by ASF.
To curb the spread of ASF, the agriculture department intends to implement a national zoning plan to identify areas as free, containment, surveillance, protected, and infected zones.
Authorities have repeatedly appealed to hog raisers and traders not to slaughter and sell sick pigs or face imprisonment and payment of fine. They are also encouraged to report to the government any sign of disease or death of pigs in their areas.
projects.
Among the agencies that transferred their funds was the Philippine National Police (PNP), Recto said.