Cebu authorities returned 42 hogs to Negros Oriental on Wednesday, July 8, 2026, after the shipment was intercepted at Tangil Wharf in Dumanjug under the province's 45-day ban on hogs and pork products from Negros Island.
Interception Details
Provincial Veterinarian Mary Rose Vincoy confirmed the interception in an interview with reporters on Friday, July 10, 2026. The shipment came through Bulado Port in Guihulngan City, Negros Oriental, but Vincoy said the carrier did not specify the hogs' exact point of origin.
The hogs were loaded onto a boat and returned to Negros Oriental. Vincoy credited the Dumanjug Municipal Government and its ASF task force for intercepting the shipment.
Temporary Ban in Effect
Gov. Pamela Baricuatro issued Executive Order (EO) 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 areas affected by African swine fever (ASF).
Vincoy said the ban applies regardless of whether a shipment has supporting documents. “The Executive Order 39 is not about the documents, it's actually a temporary ban,” Vincoy said.
The border controls are intended to protect Cebu's PHP 20 billion hog industry from ASF.
Stable Supply and Industry Support
Vincoy said Cebu's local hog supply remained stable. Local hog raisers met with Baricuatro last week to discuss ways to market local pork and protect the industry from ASF and pork brought in from outside the province.
Authorities continue to monitor Cebu's ports and other entry points around the clock. The Philippine Coast Guard and Philippine National Police are helping enforce the ban. The monitoring also follows EO 36, which directed local governments across Cebu to activate their ASF task forces.
Within the province, barangay animal health aides monitor hogs and report illnesses or animal deaths to municipal livestock coordinators for immediate action.
Possible Extension
Vincoy said the 45-day ban could be extended depending on ASF developments and official reports from the Department of Agriculture and Bureau of Animal Industry (BAI).
“Right now we're monitoring the status of Negros Oriental... the Bureau of Animal Industry already canceled (green status), meaning there are reports on the ground that tested positive,” she said. BAI classifies areas under five ASF statuses: red for areas with confirmed infections, pink for buffer zones near infected areas, yellow for surveillance zones next to buffer zones, light green for ASF-free areas at moderate risk, and dark green for ASF-free areas considered at low risk.
