A total of P949,200 was released by the provincial government of Benguet through the Office of the Provincial Veterinarian (PVET) to 28 swine raisers in the province to compensate the losses of swine raisers from the municipalities of Itogon and La Trinidad whose pigs, number a total of 192, were depopulated and buried due to African Swine Fever (ASF) from late of April until June this year.
This second batch beneficiaries were given PhP10,000.00 for every depopulated boar and sow, PhP5,000.00 for fattener and gilt, and PhP1,700 for weaner and piglet.
Benguet Governor Melchor Diclas and Provincial Veterinarian Miriam Tiongan led the turn-over of the cash assistance to the swine raisers on September 8, 2020 at the provincial capitol of Benguet.
Governor Diclas expressed his sympathy with the swine raisers and hoped that the financial assistance will help them restart their livestock business reminding them to always follow safety protocols and observe preventive measures to avert the spread of the ASF virus.
According to the office of the PVET, there will be a third batch of recipients of the cash assistance comprising swine raisers whose pigs were depopulated and buried since June to August this year. The first batch of recipients have received over 1 million pesos assistance last March.
Based on data, the towns under the Red Zone are Itogon, La Trinidad, and Tuba; Pink Zones are Sablan and Tublay; and Light Green Zones are Mankayan, Kibungan, Kapangan, Atok, Kabayan, Bokod, Bakun, and Buguias.
Municipalities tagged as Red Zones are those with pigs infected with ASF, their adjacent municipalities as Pink Zones, and Light Green Zones for ASF-free municipalities. By PIO Benguet