Under the MoA, the two LGU will create protocols on the movement, sale and disposition of hogs and meat products within their areas of responsibility.

NUEVA ECIJA — Palayan and the town of Bongabon signed a pact on Wednesday to safeguard each other’s area from the entry of the African swine fever (ASF) into their territories.

Palayan City Mayor Adrianne Mae Cuevas and Bongabon Mayor Allan Xystus Gamilla signed the Memorandum of Agreement (MoA) along with other officials from their local government units (LGU). Under the MoA, the two LGU will create protocols on the movement, sale and disposition of hogs and meat products within their areas of responsibility.

According to Cuevas, Palayan City is still free from ASF and she intends to keep it that way as the mayor ordered the extended test to far-flung villages of the city to ensure that these areas will not be infected.

Cuevas also noted that pork is the most consumed food, next to rice, by the townsfolk — not cow or goat, as may be commonly known.

For her part, she advised swine raisers in Palayan to go to the Bongabon slaughterhouse for their needs as she noted that such facility almost has “zero chance of being contaminated” because of the strict action against ASF being undertaken by the LGU.

Gamilla, on the other hand, took the occasion to further strengthen the relationship between the two LGU, noting that the city used to be part of Bongabon being the town’s former stock farm until its creation as an independent political subdivision.

With this connection, Gamilla said his town will procure all its pork requirement which is estimated at about 2,000 heads from the date of signing to April 2020.

Celso Mananguit, city veterinarian, said the agreement is a big leap for the swine industry of both local government units.