Cebu Gov. Pamela Baricuatro signed Executive Order No. 39 on Tuesday, July 7, imposing a 45-day ban on the entry of live hogs, fresh pork, and processed pork products from Negros Island and other African swine fever (ASF)-affected provinces, in a move to protect the province's hog industry and maintain its ASF-free status.
The order takes effect immediately and covers all seaports, airports, and land entry points in Cebu. It may be extended or modified depending on outbreak developments and advisories from the Department of Agriculture (DA) and the Bureau of Animal Industry (BAI).
Negros Island Outbreaks Prompt Immediate Action
The ban was triggered by confirmed ASF outbreaks in Negros Island — including both Negros Occidental and Negros Oriental — and other parts of the Visayas. Despite the regional spread of the disease, Cebu has remained free of ASF based on surveillance results confirmed by the DA and BAI.
EO No. 39 follows an earlier measure, EO No. 36, which Baricuatro signed on June 24 and which tightened surveillance, biosecurity protocols, and border controls across the province. The July 7 order escalates those restrictions with an outright import prohibition from affected areas.
Reports of Illegal Nighttime Hog Shipments
The governor said she received reports during a meeting with hog raisers last week of alleged illegal transport of hogs through ports at night or in the early morning hours. These shipments were reportedly passing through smaller ports in the towns of Ronda, Santander, Dumanjug, and Tabuelan.
"We need urgent action here. Sampolan nato na sila," Baricuatro said, signaling a firmer enforcement stance against unauthorized hog movements into the province.
On Monday, the Cebu Provincial Board approved a resolution authored by Board Member Dason Larenz Lagon, urging the Provincial Veterinary Office (PVO) and the Cebu Police Provincial Office to tighten security and monitor all entry points against the possible entry of ASF-infected hogs.
Enforcement Directed at All Entry Points
Under EO No. 39, the Cebu Port Authority, Philippine Coast Guard, Philippine National Police, and concerned local government units were directed to strictly enforce the ban at all entry points and to confiscate prohibited shipments. Violators are subject to penalties under existing laws.
Hog raisers and other stakeholders were also ordered to adopt stricter biosecurity measures, including limiting farm access to essential personnel only, regularly disinfecting vehicles, equipment, and footwear used in farm operations, and complying with all regulations governing the movement of animals and pork products.
PVO Calls Ban a Proactive Step
Provincial Veterinarian Dr. Mary Rose Vincoy described the temporary ban as a proactive measure. "This decision balances disease prevention efforts while considering the economic importance of the hog industry," she said at a press conference on Tuesday.
Vincoy confirmed that local government units have activated their ASF task forces and are coordinating with the BAI and the Regional Veterinary Quarantine Service to strengthen border controls at seaports. "Cebu remains ASF-free, and we need to protect the province's P20-billion hog industry," she said.
The PVO, in coordination with city and municipal veterinarians, was also directed to continue surveillance, laboratory testing, and monitoring to enable early detection of any potential ASF incursion.
Cebu Joins Growing List of Visayas Provinces Acting on ASF
Cebu is not alone in its response. The province joins Bohol, Capiz, and Guimaras among Visayas provinces that have moved to restrict the movement of pork and live hogs following the confirmation of ASF cases in Negros Occidental and Negros Oriental.
The coordinated restrictions across multiple provinces reflect the widening concern over ASF's spread through the Visayas region and the economic threat it poses to local hog industries.
By the Numbers
- 45 days — duration of the ban on pork and live hog imports from ASF-affected areas
- P20 billion — estimated value of Cebu's hog industry, as cited by Provincial Veterinarian Dr. Mary Rose Vincoy
- June 24 — date of EO No. 36, the earlier executive order tightening biosecurity and border controls
- July 7, 2026 — date EO No. 39 was signed and took effect
- 4 towns — Ronda, Santander, Dumanjug, and Tabuelan, identified as sites of alleged illegal nighttime hog shipments
- 4 provinces — Cebu, Bohol, Capiz, and Guimaras have all imposed restrictions on hog movement from ASF-hit areas
Why This Matters
Cebu's P20-billion hog industry faces a direct threat from ASF outbreaks confirmed in Negros Occidental and Negros Oriental, making border enforcement critical to preventing the disease from entering a province that has so far remained free of infection. The ban affects the supply chain for pork — a staple protein source — across Cebu, with enforcement authorities now activated at seaports, airports, and land entry points. Failure to contain ASF would not only devastate hog raisers but could further disrupt pork supply and prices across the broader Visayas region.
Photo credit: Photo courtesy of the Cebu Provincial Government