Cebu Governor Pamela Baricuatro has signed Executive Order No. 55, series of 2026, imposing tighter controls on the movement of live hogs, pork, and pork products into the province amid ongoing African swine fever (ASF) threats in surrounding areas. The order, dated October 26, 2026, took effect immediately upon issuance, according to the signed copy released by the Cebu Provincial Capitol.
Mandatory Documents for Every Incoming Shipment
According to EO 55, no live hog, pork, or processed pork product may enter Cebu without full compliance with national regulations and a complete set of veterinary and regulatory paperwork. Required documents include a shipping permit from the Bureau of Animal Industry's veterinary quarantine service, a veterinary health certificate concurred in by the provincial veterinarian at the point of origin, and laboratory results confirming negative ASF RT-PCR findings.
Shipments must also present meat inspection certificates from National Meat Inspection Service (NMIS)-accredited facilities, a disinfection certificate for transport vehicles, a livestock handler's permit from the Department of Agriculture, Food and Drug Administration registration papers for processed pork products, and certification of the NMIS-accredited slaughterhouse in Cebu designated as the delivery point, the order states.
Live Hogs Restricted to Accredited Slaughterhouses
Under the order, live hogs are permitted entry into Cebu solely for direct delivery to accredited slaughterhouses, primarily for lechon preparation. EO 55 explicitly prohibits the animals from being used for breeding, resold, or redirected to any destination other than the slaughterhouse named in their shipping documents.
All shipments must arrive through official ports where veterinary quarantine officers are on duty to verify documents and physically inspect animals and products, the order specifies.
Non-Compliant Cargo Faces Confiscation or Return
The Cebu Provincial Capitol's signed order states that shipments found to lack complete documentation, failing to name an NMIS-accredited slaughterhouse, or entering through unauthorized ports are subject to confiscation and forfeiture, or return to their origin. The mayor of the locality where the interception occurs will determine the disposition of such cargo, in coordination with the Regional Veterinary Quarantine Service.
Multiple Agencies Tasked With Enforcement
EO 55 directs component local government units, the Cebu Port Authority, the Philippine Coast Guard, and the Philippine National Police to enforce the order's requirements at seaports, airports, and land checkpoints across the province, according to the signed issuance.
Local governments are likewise required to sustain ASF surveillance and laboratory testing through their veterinarians and agriculturists, with support from Barangay Animal Health Aides, and to conduct public information campaigns warning against purchasing or transporting hogs and pork from ASF-affected areas.
Component LGUs Must Align Ordinances With Provincial Rules
The order requires all component local government units to enact or update their ASF ordinances to conform with Provincial Ordinance No. 2025-12. According to EO 55, compliance with this requirement is a condition for LGUs to maintain or revise their ASF status under Bureau of Animal Industry zoning guidelines. All prior executive issuances found to be inconsistent with EO 55 are revoked or modified under the new order.
Negros Island Outbreaks Among Factors Behind the Order
The order cites continuing ASF outbreaks recorded in Negros Island and other provinces as part of the basis for the stricter measures. It also notes that an isolated ASF case in one southern Cebu town was swiftly contained, and that the Bureau of Animal Industry has granted 24 Cebu local government units Recognition of Active Surveillance on ASF, with additional LGUs still under evaluation.
Order Follows Earlier Bans Tied to Ginatilan Outbreak
EO 55 is the latest in a series of provincial ASF measures issued in 2026. Governor Baricuatro previously signed Executive Order No. 39 on July 7, imposing a 45-day ban on live hogs and pork products from the Negros Island Region and other ASF-affected provinces. She extended that ban for another 45 days through Executive Order No. 44 on August 20.
In early October, the governor issued a warning against illegal hog movement as provincial authorities investigated how ASF spread into Ginatilan, where the virus was confirmed in two barangays. EO 55 remains in force until revoked or amended by the governor, according to the Capitol's release.
Source: Cebu Provincial Capitol