MANILA – The Department of Agriculture (DA) advised the public on Thursday to avoid transporting meat products during Holy Week, as the hog-raising sector gradually copes with the challenges brought by the African swine fever (ASF) in the country.
DA-Bureau of Animal Industry (BAI) Dr. Reildrin Morales said during the agency’s press briefing that the citizens and hog raisers should not be complacent, even amid the reduction of ASF cases.
“Nananawagan po kami, na iwasan po magbaon ng mga produktong karne ng baboy from one place to another, lalo na po kung manggagaling ng Luzon, papunta ng Visayas, Mindanao, ‘di po tayo nakakasiguro, bagaman sinasabi po natin na maayos na po or kampante tayo sa lagay ng ASF ngayon (We are calling out to avoid bringing pork products from one place to another, especially coming from Luzon, to Visayas or Mindanao. We are not sure, although we are saying it’s getting better, or we’re confident in the current ASF status). We don’t have to lower our guards. Kailangan po ‘yung (We need) higher level of awareness and pagbabantay para masiguro natin na hindi po tayo magkakaroon ng spread ng ASF (monitoring to ensure there will no longer be spreading of ASF),” he said.
Only seven municipalities and four provinces in two regions now have active cases of ASF, which is lower compared to 688 municipalities, 51 provinces, and 13 regions in the previous year, impacting a total of 3,720 barangays nationwide.
“Medyo maganda po ‘yung ating pagtanaw pagdating dito sa (We’re having a good outlook on) ASF. Actually po ‘yung na-recover natin na area ay nasa 64 na (we’ve recovered 64 areas), pero mahigit (but more than) 500 cities and municipalities na po ‘yan na wala na pong reported na case ng ASF (with no reported cases of ASF), for the last three to six months and even longer,” he said.
Morales stated that they are currently probing another ASF incident in the Davao region.
“Kasalukuyan po na bina-validate natin ‘yan, may tao tayo sa ground (We are currently validating it, we have people on the ground), collecting samples, and we’re waiting for the result of the samples,” he added.
Meanwhile, Morales stated that they are confident about the vaccination against ASF, utilizing the vaccine developed by Kuala Lumpur University in Thailand.
“We are seeing a light at the end of the tunnel, walang namatay dun sa trial po na animals… Ngayon sa (No one died in the trial among the animals… Now in the) area, nag-survive po Asec e, so we will see, we have high hopes,” he said.
