March 24, 2025

Philippines seeks FDA approval for ASF vaccine rollout in April

The Department of Agriculture (DA) in the Philippines aims to secure approval from the country's Food and Drug Administration (FDA) by next month for the commercial use of African swine fever (ASF) vaccines from Vietnam.

This initiative is part of efforts to sustain the decline in active ASF cases.

Agriculture Assistant Secretary Arnel de Mesa stated in an interview that the vaccines are expected to receive FDA approval within April. Initial reports from the DA indicate that the Vietnam-sourced ASF vaccines are effective, as most vaccinated pigs remain healthy.

The DA has administered 29,000 out of the 160,000 available doses, including 10,000 doses procured by the government through emergency measures. The majority of the vaccines were distributed in Lobo and Lipa towns in Batangas, as well as in Bulacan, Tarlac, and Laguna.

Among the 29 farms that participated in the government's vaccination programme, 51 inoculated pigs have been reported dead. The DA launched the drive in August last year, five years after the first ASF outbreak in 2019, which caused billions of pesos in losses and a significant decline in the local swine population.

As of March 14, the number of barangays with active ASF cases had fallen to 39 across 13 provinces, according to the Bureau of Animal Industry (BAI). This marks a decrease from 66 barangays in 18 provinces recorded on February 28.

The BAI's latest report shows that most ASF cases are concentrated in Central Visayas, particularly in Bohol. New cases have also been detected in Laguna, where affected pigs have been quarantined and ASF-positive pigs have been culled.

De Mesa noted that the significant decline in active cases is a positive development. Alongside the vaccination efforts, the DA has introduced updated policies on pig movement and implemented strict border checkpoints to prevent the spread of ASF.

- Philippine Daily Inquirer