Not Even Typhoon ‘Enteng’ Could Stop The Fight Vs. ASF

Government offices were supposed to be closed today because of Typhoon Enteng but since I was already in Manila for a scheduled presentation on how to revive the backyard hog industry, the meeting with Undersecretary for Poultry and Livestock DV Savellano was held in his office in Quezon City just the same.
The result: A warm appreciation by the Department of Agriculture for the Community Hogstel Program which I and young veterinarian Roland Fajardo conceptualized and designed to help the country’s backyard hog raisers recover from the devastation of the African Swine Fever.
As proposed, a Pilot Facility will be established in Cotabato Province after Agriculture Secretary Francisco Tiu Laurel Jr. approves the program.
The Community Hogstel Program involves the organization of small and backyard hog raisers into an association or cooperative who will be raising hogs in a modern and bio secure facility to be built by the DA.
Materials for feeds will be supplied by the local farmers and processed in the feed mill of the facility while breeding, fattening and slaughtering operations will be undertaken in the confined area to be lcoated away from the population centers and near the agricultural crops production zones.
This will turn farmers into agricultural entrepreneurs while allowing even non-farmers, including Overseas Filipino Workers, to engage in hog farming.
With the project concept passing the first stage, the details and financial projections will be discussed in the next meeting.
#KungGustoMaramingParaan!
#GovernanceIsCommonSense!