Ilocos Norte: The Provincial Veterinary Office of Ilocos Norte has issued a reminder for Palarong Pambansa delegates intending to transport processed pork products to adhere to both national and local policies governing the movement of animal products. This measure is aimed at preventing the spread of African swine fever (ASF).

According to Philippines News Agency, Dr. Loida Valenzuela, the provincial veterinarian, has reached out to the Department of Education seeking their assistance in disseminating information to ensure compliance with advisories issued by the Department of Agriculture – Bureau of Animal Industry. This initiative is to prevent potential confiscation of products at airports.

The guidelines specify that travelers need to obtain necessary permits if they plan to carry locally sourced processed pork products such as longganisa, bagnet, and pork chicharon. For pork sourced from local producers, a National Meat Inspection Service (NMIS) document is required to authorize its movement or use in processed meats.

For processed meats that use pork as a material but are not fully cooked, such as tocino, longganisa, and tapa, a certification from NMIS identifying the pork’s local origin must be presented. Additionally, uncooked processed meats require a shipping permit from the Bureau of Animal Industry, along with a license to operate and a certificate of product registration from the Food and Drug Administration, to be shown at animal quarantine checkpoints in disease outbreak areas.

Shipments lacking the necessary shipping conditions or documentation, including refrigeration, will face immediate confiscation and disposal. Those with falsified or tampered documents will also be seized at animal quarantine checkpoints.

Dr. Valenzuela emphasized that these guidelines are designed to protect various stakeholders, including consumers, retailers, distributors, storage operators, hog raisers, and meat processors, from disruptions in trade and commerce across the country. Currently, 21 cities and municipalities in Region 1 (Ilocos Region) are categorized under the ‘red zone’ due to confirmed ASF cases. Consequently, some provinces have independently prohibited the entry of processed meats as a precaution against ASF.