DA to start rollout of ASF vaccine in Batangas on Aug. 30

Lipa City and the municipalities of Rosario, Malvar, Taysan, San Jose, and Nasugbu were certifed ASF-free zones on Friday by ITC-PH. (Pexels photo)

By Stephanie Sevillano, Philippine News Agency

MANILA – The Department of Agriculture (DA) on Tuesday announced the start of the government-controlled vaccine rollout against African swine fever (ASF) in Batangas on Aug. 30.

“We’re going to implement the vaccination this Friday in Lobo para masimulan na iyong treatment na mangyayari dito sa dumadami ng kaso ng ASF. Expected natin yan dahil sa ulan (so that we can start the treatment amid the increasing cases of ASF. This is expected because of the rains),” DA Assistant Secretary for Swine and Poultry Constante Palabrica said in a phone interview.

In a separate interview, DA Assistant Secretary Arnel de Mesa said they were eyeing the distribution of at least 2,000 doses of AVAC live vaccines in Lobo.

“So, August 30 we’ll start in Batangas and then eventually sa (in) Quezon. Pag okay ito (if this turns out okay), then we’ll move around in other areas. Perhaps, siguro mga 2,000, ganun unahin natin (we might roll out 2,000 doses first),” he said.

Palabrica and De Mesa announced the vaccine rollout as the Bureau of Animal Industry (BAI) reported a 1,808-percent increase in red zones or barangays with active ASF cases since May 17.

As of August 21, the BAI reported 458 barangays in 15 regions under red zones, which is exponentially higher than 24 barangays during the first half of May.

The highest number of affected barangays are in North Cotabato with 87, Occidental Mindoro with 69, Batangas with 66, and Quezon with 47.

The BAI also reported new ASF cases in Northern Luzon including eight barangays in Angandanan, Santiago City, and San Guillermo in Isabela; four barangays in Enrile, Cagayan; one barangay in Dupax del Norte in Nueva Vizcaya; and one in Mexico, Pampanga.

“Titignan natin, June 7, 32 lang yung barangays na may active cases. So, unti-unti tumaas iyan. July, naging 150, and then early August, naging (If we look into it, June 7, it’s only around 32 barangays with active cases. So, it gradually increased. By July, it went up to 150, and then in early August, it surged to) 251,” De Mesa said.

Despite this, agriculture officials said the ASF situation in the country remains under control due to the government’s strict biosecurity protocols, ASF vaccination plans, and continuous testing, repopulation, and indemnification programs.

De Mesa, meanwhile, urged hog raisers to refrain from availing of other unregistered ASF vaccines as they pose other hazards to swine, especially those being sold online.

To date, only the ASF AVAC live vaccines from Vietnam have secured a certificate of product registration from the Food and Drug Administration.