NANINDIGAN si Cebu Gov. Gwendolyn Garcia sa kanyang desisyon na i-ban ang pagpasok ng baboy at iba pang produktong baboy mula sa Luzon sa kabila ng apela ni Agriculture Secretary William Dar.
Inamin ni Garcia na nag-o-overreact siya sa krisis.
“I say guilty as charged. But you see when it comes to the interest of the province and the Cebuanos, I would rather overreact. If we must err, we must err on the side of caution,” sabi ni Garcia.
Noong Biyernes, sinabi ni Dar na “overreaction” ang desisyon ng Cebu na ipagbawal ang lahat ng produkto ng baboy mula sa Luzon dahil sa outbreak ng African Swine Fever (ASF).
Sinabi ni Garcia na bagamat naiintindihan niya ang sentimyento ni Dar, pinoprotektahan lamang niya ang hog industry mula sa ASF.
“Underreacting of the Department of Agriculture could be very, very dangerous,” giit ni Garcia.
Tinatayang P10 bilyon ang halaga ng industriya ng hog industry sa Cebu kung saan libo-libong trabaho ang ibinibigay nito.
“Yes, I understand that you must look into the national interest because that is your role as secretary, but please also understand that my role as governor binds me to the general welfare of this province, and I must first and foremost, make it my priority — the interest of the province of Cebu,” giit ni Garcia.