MANILA – President Ferdinand R. Marcos Jr. has directed the Department of Agriculture (DA) to enhance efforts in livestock consolidation and ramp up biosecurity measures to prevent the spread of African Swine Fever (ASF).

During a meeting with the Regional Development Council 3 (Central Luzon) at the CSJDM Convention Center in San Jose Del Monte City, Bulacan, on Friday, Marcos emphasized the critical role of biosecurity in addition to ongoing vaccination efforts in the fight against ASF.

He highlighted that while vaccinations are underway, unvaccinated pigs could still be at risk if piggeries are not properly managed.

“Consolidation is key. We are working on it because it is difficult to control biosecurity in backyard farms,” Marcos noted, according to the Presidential Communications Office (PCO). “Our plan is to place them in one secure, biosecure facility. However, this might be challenging as many people are unwilling to part with their animals.”

DA Undersecretary Designate for Livestock, Constante Palabrica, assured that the agency is actively implementing biosecurity measures and educating farmers on proper protocols. He also confirmed that 80 percent of vaccinated hogs are now well-protected.

“Currently, we’ve vaccinated 50,000 hogs as part of our ongoing efforts. We’ve also procured around half a million ASF vaccines, with close to 200,000 doses allocated for Region 3,” Palabrica said.

He further explained that the Bureau of Animal Industry (BAI) will compile data on the vaccination efforts and submit the results to the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) for review, in line with the memorandum of understanding between BAI and FDA. This will allow the vaccine to be approved for broader commercial use.

The DA anticipates securing approval for commercial ASF vaccinations by April, which will significantly aid in the recovery of the local hog industry, particularly in the third and last quarters of 2024.

The government’s vaccination initiative continues alongside rigorous border control measures, with plans to administer at least 490,000 doses of ASF AVAC live vaccines.

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