In Antique, the importation of live hogs remains prohibited even after the province was upgraded to a pink status, indicating a buffer zone, from its earlier red status which signified confirmed cases of African swine fever (ASF). Dr. Marco Rafael Ardamil, the chief of the Public Health Division at the Provincial Veterinary Office, explained that the decision to maintain the ban stems from the ongoing recovery efforts of local hog farmers who are still reeling from the impacts of ASF. The province achieved its pink status on January 20, with no new ASF cases reported since then. Despite this progress, the local hog industry in towns such as San Jose de Buenavista, Sibalom, Hamtic, and Belison has suffered significant financial losses, prompting continued vigilance at checkpoints. These checkpoints are strategically located in the southernmost town of Anini-y, the northernmost municipality of Libertad, Hamtic near the border with Iloilo, and Pandan, which serves as an alternative route to Aklan. Ardamil emphasized that anyone wishing to bring live hogs into Antique must first obtain a Certificate of Acceptance from his office. The only exception to the ban has been the import of 131 piglets from the Department of Agriculture for monitoring purposes, distributed among hog raisers in San Jose de Buenavista, the first town to be declared free of ASF. Meanwhile, the export of live hogs from Antique is permitted, provided traders present the required transport permits at the checkpoints.
