MORE NEWS, PAMPANGA

Pigs dying in P’panga towns
By George Trillo

SAN FERNANDO, Pampanga – Strict quarantine has been imposed in backyard piggeries in San Simon and parts of Mexico town, as a growing number of pigs there are dying from what is believed to be Porcine Reproductive and Respiratory Syndrome (PRSS).

But provincial veterinarians said there is no cause for alarm, as the PRSS is different from swine flu although it increases the hogs’ risk to the latter disease.

Visible symptoms of PRRS include high fever, loss of appetite, red skin and diarrhea, they said.

In a report, the provincial information office cited “cases of unusual deaths and the increase in the number of sick pigs in San Simon” and in a neighboring barangay in Mexico.

The pigs manifested “diarrhea, inappetence (lack of appetite), and vomiting,” it said, adding that these were symptoms of PRRS.

According to the report, at least 112 pigs of 31 backyard hog raisers have already been affected.

Records show that PRRS is estimated to cost the US hog industry $600 million in losses yearly.

Gov. Ed Panlilio said the affected piggeries have been placed under quarantine. “The sick animals are now being treated and that none is being sold,” he said.


Panlilio suspends exec over expired noodles
By George Trillo

SAN FERNANDO, Pampanga – Gov. Eddie Panlilio issued a 90-day preventive suspension of the provincial social welfare and development officer for allegedly allowing expired noodles to be fed to hundreds of children during the provincial government’s caravans for the poor.

In a statement, Panlilio’s office said Lucia Gutierrez was suspended due to “utmost concern for public health and to prevent similar occurrences in the future” for “authorizing the serving of expired noodles to young children.”

But Gutierrez said what befell her was “a case of harassment” because of her supposed conflict with provincial administrator Vivian Dabu.

“I think the case was all triggered by reports that I had complained to the governor about Dabu’s attitudinal problem and she resented this,” she said.

In his statement, Panlilio said an investigative body found Gutierrez “to be well aware of the fact that the noodles on stock had expired in September 2008.”

“She allowed the expired stock to be served in the soup kitchens of the Pamisaupan mobile service caravans to children aged four to six in Floridablanca, Macabebe, and Candaba last February and March,” he said.

“While it was fortunate that no untoward incident was reported, serving expired food has potential harm especially on young children. Thus, this should not happen again,” he added.

Gutierrez admitted that the noodles had indeed expired, but insisted that she was not aware of this when the feeding program was conducted.