The military has offered to use its security checkpoints against African Swine Fever (ASF) in Eastern Mindanao.
“Our fixed security checkpoints can be used as a point of convergence in carrying out the best interest of the government and of the communities,” said Lt. Gen. Felimon Santos Jr., commander of the military’s Eastern Mindanao Command.
Santos’ offer came after a talk with hog industry stockholders, led by Department of Agriculture (DA) Davao Regional Director Engr. Ricardo Oñate, who visited him at the EastMinCom headquarters at Naval Station Felix Apolinario in Panacan last week.
Lt. Col. Ezra Balagtey, EastMinCom spokesperson, said the DA officials and hog-raisers sought the assistance of the military in the biological battle to prevent infectious diseases from entering the region.
While the use of the military checkpoint as quarantine checkpoint has been enforced in the city, it is yet to be implemented in other parts of the regions.
The City Veterinary and Agriculture Office (CVAO) has deployed quarantine personnel in the military checkpoints.
All the operatives of the Task Force Davao (TFD), led by Col. Consolito Yecla, at the checkpoints have been oriented on animal and meat quarantine.
Santos urged other localities to follow the protocols.
“Taking off from the initiative of Davao City with the Task Force Davao checkpoints as a template, we are asking the concerned agencies to level the issue to the different Peace and Order Councils (POC) to consolidate and synchronized effort in this biological battle,” he added.
