Bais City has officially earned the designation of ASF-free and now falls under the pink zone category, according to the Provincial Veterinary Office (PVO) of Negros Oriental.
This new status enables the city to expand its hog trade, provided it meets all requirements set by the Bureau of Animal Industry (BAI).
The PVO confirmed that Bais City earned its ASF-free certification after conducting successful active surveillance. The BAI’s national office issued the recognition on May 21.
The certification stays valid for three months, and the city must submit another surveillance report to renew its ASF-free status.
With this recognition, Bais City can transport hogs across provincial and regional borders, as long as it complies with BAI regulations.
Bais City joins several other local government units (LGUs) in Negros Oriental that have moved from red zones to pink zones, where ASF is no longer detected but remains near areas with confirmed outbreaks.
Other LGUs that earned ASF-free status include Vallehermoso, Ayungon, Manjuyod, and Valencia.*
Reymund Titong is a Filipino journalist steadily building his voice in the field of news reporting, driven by a commitment to tell meaningful and relevant stories.
He serves as a correspondent for Rappler, contributes to Negros Daily Bulletin, and maintains a blog on Medium.