The Binalonan officials hosted on October 11 a pork boodle fight to dismiss public concern about suspected African Swine Fever (ASF) virus cases in the municipality held at the municipal public grounds.

With the initiative of Mayor Ramon N. Guico Jr. and Congressman Ramon V. Guico III, the D.A officials and employees spearheaded the pork festival generating a total of 10 “lechon” (roast pigs) and 5 more pigs cooked  into different pork dishes with donations of “longganisa” from the town’s meat vendors.

“The boodle fight feast is undertaken to help the meat vendors who are much affected by the alarming decrease of their sales and most importantly to dispel doubts of the public that there is ASF virus cases in the locality, “ the mayor said in his message.

The mayor publicly declared that the town is “swine fever-free” and corrected misconceptions on the animal disease.

He advised the townspeople to buy meat from legitimate sellers, those with municipal permits to ensure that what they are buying are infected-free. He also directed all barangay captains not to allow butchering of pigs and the like outside the slaughter house of the municipality. All hogs to be butchered in the slaughter house should be with necessary permit.

Congressman of the 5^th District, Ramon V. Guico III affirmed and dismissed the fears of the people  that there is ASF in Binalonan. He further sought the public to patronize Binalonan pork and Binalonanl ongganisa.

Meanwhile, former Vice-Mayor of Binalonan and at present the First Lady of Sison, Myrna Bell C. Uy gave her thanks for being given the opportunity to speak before the public to dispel doubts about the ASF virus. She informed that the cost of pork in the market is much lower than fish. Thus, she enjoined everyone to patronize Binalonan pork because they are ASF-free.

Vice Mayor Melicio F. Patague gave his welcome remarks enjoining everyone to unite together for an ASF-free Binalonan.

The hog raisers who provided the lechon and pork meat are the following: Myrna Bell Uy, Rebecca Tambo, Ronald Pi, Dante Saballa, Liberson Gajotan, Cesar Tomeldan, Pigrolac and hog raisers of San Felipe, and the Binalonan meat vendors.

The boodle fight was joined by LGU government employees, barangay officials, teachers, farmers  and  people from the community who were earlier acknowledged by Mr. Ricardo Tabuac, municipal agriculturist .

Cleofe Jacob Martinez, agricultural technologist  facilitated the program.