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A backyard hog raiser's pen in San Jose Del Monte, Bulacan contains a couple of small native pigs on May 11, 2021, which before was filled with various pigs but died due to African Swine Fever. Mark Demayo, ABS-CBN News

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ASF and backyard hog raisers

Lady Vicencio

ABS-CBN News

<div> </div><p>MANILA (UPDATE) -- The Pork Producers Federation of the Philippines urged the government to place the whole country under state of calamity or emergency as cases of African swine fever continue to rise. </p><p>Nicanor Briones, chairperson of Pro-Pork and AGAP Party-list Representative, said the move will enable the government to allocate calamity funds for vaccination against ASF. </p><p>“Makukuha ‘yan sa calamity fund or pwedeng gawin kaagad ng ating mahal na Pangulo. Ang bilis kumakalat eh. Kung hindi mapipigilan ang pagkaubos ng inahin at bulugan, malaki pa rin talaga ang magiging problema natin. Maraming mawawalang baboy kung mahuhuli ‘yong pagbabakuna,” Briones said. </p><p>(We can get that from the calamity fund or the president can do something about it right away. It spreads fast. If we can&#x27;t stop the pigs from getting sick, we have a big problem. A lot of pigs will die if vaccination will be delayed.) </p><p>The Department of Agriculture is preparing an emergency procurement for ASF vaccines following the outbreak in Batangas province. At least 8 municipalities in Batangas have active cases of ASF. The municipalities of Lobo and Calatagan are now under state of calamity, the DA said. </p><p>DA Spokesperson Assistant Secretary Arnel De Mesa said Batangas’ hog population of one million hogs needs to be protected to ensure the country’s pork supply. Around 10 percent of the Philippines’ hog population comes from Batangas. </p><p>Recent data from the DA showed the current hog population is down to 9.9 million from 12.7 million before cases of ASF were detected in 2019. </p><p>“Medyo mabilis ito. In a matter of days, more than 32 barangays. Almost 40 barangays ang nagkaroon agad ng ASF sa walong bayan ng Batangas,” De Mesa said. </p><p>(This is quite fast...almost 40 barangays had ASF right away in 8 Batangas towns.) </p><p>De Mesa attributed the spike in ASF cases to traders bringing infected hogs outside red zones. </p><p>“Kailangan nilang magdagdag ng checkpoints from the existing checkpoints para mapigilan,” De Mesa said. </p><p>“Biyahero ang main cause nito. ‘Yong pag-ikot natin sa small farms, kung may cases talagang kailangang ma-quarantine talaga,” he added. </p><p>(We need to add to the existing checkpoints. Travelers are the main cause of this. We&#x27;re going around to the small farms, and some cases need to be quarantined.) </p><p>Briones affirmed that while some raisers report cases, there are some who are selling hogs for P2,000 to prevent further losses. </p><p>“Ang mga inahin dito ‘yong may mga bayan na may outbreak, binibili lang P2,000 ang isang ulo. So P10 kada kilo ay P200 kilos lang ang isang inahin. So makikita mo ‘yong kalugihang inaabot ng ating mga magbababoy,&quot; Briones said. </p><p>(In towns where there is an outbreak, some hogs are sold for just P2,000 apiece. You really see that they are suffering from the losses.)</p><div> </div><div><strong>DA BUYING VACCINES</strong></div><p>To prevent further spread of the disease, the DA is looking to procure 10,000 doses of ASF vaccines to be distributed in red zones in Batangas through controlled vaccination. </p><p>“So, malaking tulong itong mga bagong bakuna na ito para—katuwang of course ang Biosecurity at iba pang ginagawa ng ating local na pamahalaan ng at ng Bureau of Animal Industry, malaking dagdag na tulong itong bakuna na ito para mapigilan iyong paglala pa ng sitwasyon sa Batangas hinggil sa African Swine Fever,” De Mesa said. </p><p>(The new vaccines will be a big help – together of course with Biosecurity and other actions taken by our local government and the Bureau of Animal Industry, it will greatly help in curbing the situation in Batangas.) </p><p>While there are no indications that ASF can be transferred from pigs to humans by consuming meat, Philippine authorities have ordered the culling and proper disposal of infected pigs.</p><p>“Itong virus ng ASF ay hindi zoonotic, so hindi ito mapapasa mula sa baboy papunta sa tao, pero ganoon din naman ayon na rin sa Food Safety Act hindi natin tino-tolerate na iyong mga infected animals ay kakatayin at ibebenta at lulutuin. So, dapat itong i-dispose properly sa pamamagitan ng paglibing at pagsunog,” De Mesa said.</p><p>(The ASF is not zoonotic, this means it won’t be transferred from pork to persons, still based on the Food Safety Act, we will not tolerate the sale of infected animal meat. It should be properly disposed by burying and burning of carcasses.)</p><p> But for Briones, the government should vaccinate more areas before the situation affects supply of pork.</p><p> “Kaya kailangan madaliin, mabigyan ng bakuna at ang presyo naman, ang karneng baboy, ‘pag hindi ito naagapan at naubos itong baboy na ito, ‘yong iba’y minadali wala sa panahon ay binenta. Pagdating ng October, naniniwala ako biglang tataas ang presyo ng baboy dito sa Luzon,” Briones said.</p><p> (We need to rush, or else pork prices may spike in Luzon by October.)</p><p> Retail prices of pork in Metro Manila remain stable at P285 to P400 per kilo based on DA’s price monitoring.</p><p> The agriculture department reminded swine raisers to practice proper biosecurity measures to prevent the spread of the disease.  – With a report from Pia Gutierrez, ABS-CBN News</p><div><br/></div><div><strong>FROM THE ARCHIVES:</strong></div><div><span class="fr-video fr-deletable fr-fvc fr-dvb fr-draggable" contenteditable="false" draggable="true"><iframe width="640" height="360" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/7sLHIiKNFpo?&amp;wmode=opaque&amp;rel=0" frameBorder="0" allowfullscreen="" class="fr-draggable"></iframe></span><br/></div>

<p>The Pork Producers Federation of the Philippines urged the government to place the whole country under state of calamity as cases of African swine fever continue to rise.</p>

The Pork Producers Federation of the Philippines urged the government to place the whole country under state of calamity as cases of African swine fever continue to rise.

Pork producers urge declaration of state of calamity due to ASF

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Pork producers urge declaration of state of calamity due to ASF

Lady Vicencio,

ABS-CBN News

Published August 09, 2024 03:52 PM PHT

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Updated August 09, 2024 07:24 PM PHT

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