An official of the Sta. Cruz Tourism Office advised guides, climbers, and porters of Mt. Apo-Sta. Cruz trail not to bring pork-related menu during Mt. Apo climb.
Julius Paner, senior tourism operations officer of Sta. Cruz, issued an advisory prohibiting the bringing, cooking, and serving of pork-related menu during climbs to avoid contamination of African swine fever (ASF) to the Philippine Warty Pig population within the Mt. Apo Natural Park.
It can be recalled that an endemic Sus Philippensis or Philippine Warty Pig was sighted during the surveillance and monitoring conducted by the personnel of the Department of Environment and Natural Resources 11 (DENR 11) at the established trails and the peak of Mt. Apo Natural Park (MANP) within Davao Region for its annual Lenten climb monitoring on April 11 to 17, 2022.
“All Sta. Cruz mountain guides are also directed to monitor from time to time the presence of Philippine Warty Pig which was frequently seen lately in the saddle grassland of the summit and have it reported to this office through actual photo and video footage. Geotagged photos are preferred,” the advisory said.
Paner said ASF has always been a threat to Davao Region, which has proved to be detrimental to the swine industry in the past years, and disallowing pork dishes while climbing can be a very effective measure to prevent ASF within the Mt. Apo Natural Park.
“Especially since dunay isa ka Philippine Warty Pig sa summit which has been frequently seen lately by trekkers. We need to continue to educate our people that bringing and serving pork menu in the area heightens the threat of ASF contamination,” Paner said.
Paner clarified that it is just an advisory and not yet a Protected Area Management Board (PAMB) Resolution and not yet a municipal ordinance also.
“But I can always assure that our licensed guides will always follow advisories naman po,” he said.
