Benguet towns slowly rebuild piggeries after ASF scourge

Hog farmers in Benguet are slowly rebuilding their piggeries after African swine fever infections led to mass cullings, the province's governor said Monday. 

Gov. Melchor Diclas said African swine fever was first detected in La Trinidad before it spread to all 13 municipalities in the province. 

Efforts to prevent the spread of ASF were difficult, he said, noting that Benguet is a "melting pot" that sources its pork from different areas. 

However, he said hog farmers are now starting to rebuild their farms after the cullings. "So far, so good we have started raising pigs again," he said.