PH, Is There Life After Pork? There Is – Native Pork. Happy Valentine’s Day!


Question: What other options in our basket do we have today in PH swine raising in the midst of the deadly African Swine Fever, ASF? 
Answer: PH Swine!

In my morning essay today, Valentine’s Day 2020, “Considering The Deadly ASF Of PH Swine, William Dar’s Lovely Basket Of Options[1],” considering the ASF, I point out that the Department of Agriculture, DA, under Secretary of Agriculture William Dar/Manong Willie, has considered first, enlarging the poultry industry and then, introducing rabbit raising as alternative to the devastated backyard hog industry. But, as Robert Baden-Powell encourages us, “Never say die till you are dead.” My creative mind always tells me that. So! I have come out with pork instead of pork, meaning, native pork replacing exotic pork. (Above, to my earlier composite image, I have added the pig icon from IMGBIN[2].)

Let us consider 2 aspects: Resistance and Irresistibility.

Native Resistant To Disease

Native livestock experts will tell you that. In March 2016, a pertinent book came off the press that I edited and desktop-published, titled Philippine Native Animals and subtitled Source Of Pride & Wealth Worth Considering & Utilizing, authored by Rene C Santiago, Angel L Lambio & Karen C Dimaranan, published by the National Swine & Poultry Research & Development Center, 200 pages total. On page 24, UP Los Baños Emeritus Professor Angel L Lambio says:

To raise native species, you don't need much experience. You can learn as you go along, and the animals will happily grow as they are resilient to stresses and resistant to pests and diseases. 
Just look at those young native swine: Aren’t they good-looking?! I was born and grew up in the village of Sanchez in the town of Asingan in Eastern Pangasinan. My mother Sixta continuously raised native pigs, actually hybrids, as did neighboring housewives, and so I came to know that the native pork is a winner hands down!

Native Pork Irresistible

The native pork is irresistible. This native Ilocano is telling you, the meat of the native pig is superb, outstanding, even invigorating.

And yes, we Filipinos have quite a few strains of the native pig. Listed in the book I edited, there are at least 6 lines or sources of native swine in the Philippines: Abra, Benguet, Kalinga (image above), Marinduque, Mt Province, and Quezon.

Are they easy to raise? My mother Sixta used to raise offspring of native mother pigs and exotic boars, and they were easy to grow – she would boil kitchen leftovers plus vegetables from her little garden beside our house. Swill they call the food – it was swell for those beautiful animals! None ever got sick. The Hilario years of experience show the native pig’s immune system ability to fight disease, in contrast with the exotic pig’s inability.

So? Happy Valentine’s Day everyone! (Beyond human, of course, my Happy Valentine is my country the Philippines.) All you humans, may your Valentine’s Day and other celebrations be filled with PH pork from now on!@517





[1] https://ithewizardofos.blogspot.com/2020/02/considering-deadly-asf-of-ph-swine.html
[2] https://imgbin.com/png/rW9pSCfN/domestic-pig-computer-icons-png

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