August 19, 2024

 

Philippines' agriculture department calls for compliance to bio-security measures as ASF hit villages in La Union

 

 

The Philippines' Department of Agriculture (DA) is urging for strict compliance to bio-security measures after 17 of the 36 villages in the municipality of Balaoan in La Union province have confirmed cases of the African swine fever (ASF).

 

Dr. Alfiero Banaag, DA-Ilocos regulatory division chief and ASF focal person, in an interview, said the virus has affected the livelihood of 132 hog raisers and around 704 heads of swine have been culled since August 14, 2024.

 

"The affected areas have been locked down, where entry and exit of swine or pork products have been totally banned. But there is still the need to strictly implement the bio-security measures," Dr. Banaag said.

 

He noted that some hog raisers do not want to voluntarily surrender their swine for culling claiming that these are healthy.

 

"I hope they would understand that despite them claiming that their pens are clean and their pigs are healthy, the virus has already spread, so we can never really be certain," Dr. Banaag said. 

 

He added that strict monitoring in areas with backyard piggeries should be implemented to ensure no infected swine will be moved to other areas.

 

An ASF Task Force has been formed, and together with villages officials, authorities have set up temporary animal quarantine checkpoints at every entry and exit points, in accordance with the Executive Order No. 2024-08-067 issued on August 1.

 

The first ASF-confirmed positive case in the town was recorded in Barangay Sablut on July 19 this year.

 

The ASF-positive cases in two villages in San Fernando City, with two affected hog raisers and 41 culled swine, as well as the cases in five villages of Luna town, with 16 affected hog raisers and 164 culled pigs, are now under control, Dr. Banaag said.

 

He added that there are no reported positive cases in the other provinces in Ilocos Region.

 

- PNA