DA Caraga capacitates LGUs, media partners on ASF
BUTUAN CITY -- Another batch of ASF Prevention and Control virtual forum was held on June 24-25 for the four remaining local government units (LGUs) in the province of Agusan del Norte and media partners from the four provinces of the region.
On June 24, SB Members, Punong Barangays, Barangay
Committee Chairperson in Agriculture, Municipal Agriculturists, and Department
of Interior and Local Government (DILG) Operation Officers from the Municipalities
of Jabonga, RTR, Tubay, and Santiago in Agusan del Norte participated the
forum.
On June 25, media partners including the Philippine
Information Agency (PIA) provincial managers in the four provinces attended the
event.
Presenting the Swine Mortality Insurance of the
Philippine Crop Insurance Corporation (PCIC), Insurance Underwriter of PCIC –
Northern Mindanao Ernesto Chavez Jr. underscored the necessity of availing the
free insurance coverage of PCIC on or before June 30, 2021, since it will be a
safety net for the swine raisers especially with the rising ASF cases in the
region. Without the insurance, the swine affected will no longer be
accommodated.
As per Memorandum from the Agriculture Secretary
William D. Dar, hogs culled due to the ASF starting July 1, 2021, will be
shouldered only by the PCIC. The payout for every pig that contracts ASF has
doubled from the original P5,000 to the current P10,000. This is one way to
ensure that hog raisers will be encouraged to report affected pigs and to halt
the spreading of the virus.
Moreover, swine raisers in the Caraga region are
encouraged to avail the free insurance coverage of PCIC by registering to the
Registry System for Basic Sectors in Agriculture (RSBSA) and visiting their
City/Municipal Agriculture Office to fill up the PCIC Livestock Application
Form and filled some necessary documents.
The virtual forum is one of the efforts of the Regional ASF Task Force, spearheaded by its communication team to intensify awareness and strengthen cooperation among agriculture stakeholders in the region. This is in coordination with the Department of the Interior and Local Government (DILG)-Caraga, Provincial Veterinary Office of Agusan del Norte, National Meat Inspection Service (NMIS)-Caraga, and the PCIC – Northern Mindanao. (DA Caraga/PIA Caraga)