Hog traders and motorboat operators transporting live hogs, pork, and pork products into Cebu City are now required to secure additional documents as the city government strengthens measures to prevent the entry of African Swine Fever (ASF).
The Cebu City Department of Veterinary Medicine and Fisheries (DVMF) issued the advisory on July 21, reminding transporters and vessel operators to comply with the documentary requirements before their shipments are allowed entry.
The move is part of the implementation of Executive Order No. 86, signed by Mayor Nestor Archival on July 10, which strengthened biosecurity measures following a suspected ASF case that was contained in one of the city’s southern barangays.
For live hog shipments coming from other provinces, the DVMF requires transporters to secure a Recognition of Active Surveillance for African Swine Fever and a Certificate of ASF-Free Status from the Provincial Veterinary Office where the animals originated.
They must also present a negative ASF laboratory test result, a Veterinary Health Certificate indicating Cebu City as the destination, a Local Shipping Permit from the Bureau of Animal Industry-National Veterinary Quarantine Service, a Livestock Handler’s Permit from the Department of Agriculture, and a Certificate of Acceptance from the Cebu City DVMF.
For pork and other pork products, shipments must be accompanied by either a Meat Inspection Certificate for freshly slaughtered meat or a Certificate of Meat Importation for imported products issued by the National Meat Inspection Service.
Transporters are likewise required to obtain a Certificate of Acceptance from the DVMF and a Local Shipping Permit from the Bureau of Animal Industry-National Veterinary Quarantine Service before bringing the products into the city.
The DVMF advised hog traders and motorboat operators to secure all required documents before transporting their cargo to avoid delays or possible refusal of entry at ports and checkpoints.
The advisory reinforces Executive Order No. 86, which temporarily regulates the movement of live hogs, pork, and pork by-products into and out of Cebu City as part of the city’s ASF prevention efforts.
Earlier this month, the city government reported that it had contained a suspected ASF incident after at least 20 hogs from a piggery showed symptoms associated with the disease.
Archival earlier said the DVMF immediately collected blood samples from the affected area and implemented containment measures, including the culling and burial of affected hogs and the establishment of a controlled perimeter around the piggery.
The mayor did not disclose the location of the affected barangay but said only one area was involved and that surveillance operations found no further spread of the disease, allowing Cebu City to maintain its ASF-free status.
ASF is a highly contagious viral disease affecting domestic and wild pigs. While it does not affect humans, the disease can be fatal to hogs and may spread through direct contact with infected animals, contaminated feed, vehicles, clothing, and equipment.
With no commercially available cure for ASF, authorities continue to rely on movement restrictions, surveillance, testing, culling, and strict biosecurity measures to prevent outbreaks.
The DVMF continues monitoring hog populations across Cebu City and urged livestock raisers and residents to immediately report unusual hog deaths or suspected ASF symptoms to veterinary authorities.
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