President Ferdinand R. Marcos, Jr. has directed the Department of Agriculture (DA) to ramp up livestock consolidation and intensify biosecurity measures to control African swine fever (ASF).
During a meeting with the Regional Development Council in Central Luzon at the CSJDM Convention Center in San Jose del Monte City, Bulacan on Friday, February 28, Marcos emphasized the importance of biosecurity on top of the ongoing vaccination efforts to fight ASF.
He cautioned that despite the vaccination of hogs, the next stocks could be exposed to the disease if the piggeries are not well-managed.
“The key to that is consolidation. Mayroon tayong ginagawa sa consolidation kasi pagka-backyard, mahirap kontrolin ‘yung biosecurity,” he said, as quoted by the Presidential Communications Office in a news release on Saturday, March 1.
“‘Di ba ‘yung plano natin, hopefully, na mailagay natin in one secure — biosecure facility. I don’t know, mukhang mahirap because most people don’t want to give up their animals.”
DA Undersecretary Designate for Livestock Constante Palabrica said the agency is implementing biosecurity and informing farmers on handling such measures.
He assured the President that 80 percent of the hogs are well-protected once vaccinated.
Palabrica added that the ASF situation is under control, noting that the ongoing vaccination has immunized 50,000 hogs.
“Regarding the vaccine, we have purchased around half a million ASF vaccines, and close to 200,000 now will be vaccinated, will be used here in Region 3,” he said.
“So far, we’re getting good results, and once the Bureau of Animal Industry could collate all the data, we will submit this to the FDA [Food and Drug Administration] because, under the MOU [memorandum of understanding] between BAI [Bureau of Animal Industry] and FDA, we have to check for efficacy and effectivity of the vaccine.”
Palabrica said the data would be sent to the FDA for the modified release permit and a regular release.
The DA expects to secure the approval for commercial vaccination against ASF in April.
The commercial vaccination aims to speed up the recovery of the local hog industry from the effects of ASF, particularly during the third and last quarters of 2024.
The DA’s government-controlled vaccination is ongoing in select parts of the country alongside stringent border control measures.
At least 490,000 doses of ASF AVAC live vaccines are targeted to be administered under the government-controlled vaccination. (PNA)