Mayor Joy Belmonte has ordered a tight watch on the food waste collection and disposal process from various establishments in Quezon City as fears gripped that this is the most probable main source of African Swine Flu-contaminated meat that end up as swill feed for backyard hog raisers.
Belmonte said this assessment is very logical as experts have pointed to swill feed as the No.1 one possible source of ASF.
“This is the No. 1 source of possible ASF. Iyong mga airline food o galing sa mga hotel, imported ang baboy na ginagamit diyan. Maaaring infected ang mga sources na iyan. We have to make sure na hindi sila magpakain ng kanin baboy sa kanilang mga alaga,” Belmonte said.
Belmonte also traced the presence of dead pigs suspected to be ASF-infected floating in the city’s waterways as another cause of the ASF outbreak.
The Bureau of Animal Industry had earlier confirmed that 35 out of 45 blood samples from pigs in Barangays Bagong Silangan and Payatas in Quezon City were tested positive for ASF.
In another preemptive measure, Belmonte has ordered the Quezon City Task Force Solid Waste Collection, Cleaning, and Disposal Services Management to compel city-contracted haulers to directly bring the kitchen and food waste to the Rizal Provincial Sanitary Landfill.
This measure will prevent kitchen and food wastes from being sold as swill food to backyard hog raisers.
“Ipagbabawal na ang pagkakaroon ng transfer zone. Diretso na sa dumpsite sa Montalban ang kanin baboy,” said Belmonte, adding that those caught violating the directive will be severely punished.
In the transfer zone, haulers reportedly segregate kitchen and food waste that are sold to hog owners, which they turn into swill feed. (Chito Chavez)
