No new ASF cases reported during the period
TACLOBAN CITY– Mayor Jose Ivan Dayan Agda has officially lifted the 15-day pork ban in Borongan City, Eastern Samar after the containment period for the African Swine Fever (ASF) outbreak lapsed on April 18, 2025.
The lifting of the so-called “pork holiday” was formalized under Executive Order No. JIDCA-025-425, issued on April 18, which ended the temporary suspension of pork-related activities that had been in place since April 4.
The move follows strict biosecurity protocols and monitoring after ASF was confirmed in Barangay Maypangdan earlier this month.
In imposing the pork holiday, Mayor Agda had explained that it was a necessary step to contain the virus and safeguard both public health and the local economy.
No new ASF cases have been reported, and monitoring efforts remain in place to ensure the city remains ASF-free moving forward.
While the ban has been lifted, the city government continues to urge residents to remain cautious when purchasing pork and pork-based products.
Authorities are also expected to issue further guidelines to prevent another outbreak.
The pork holiday across Borongan City was declared after the Department of Agriculture Regional Office confirmed ASF cases in a letter dated March 28, 2025. The virus was detected in samples collected from a piggery farm owned by the Eastern Samar State University (ESSU) in Brgy. Maypangdan.
Mayor Agda’s April 3 executive order prohibited the slaughter, sale, and transport of fresh pork, including processed pork products such as chorizo and longganisa. Only frozen pork from ASF-free areas, properly certified by meat inspectors, was allowed to be sold during the period.
The order also mandated disinfection of piggery farms and banned the inter-barangay movement of live hogs.
(JOEY A. GABIETA)
