A member of the Bureau of Animal Industry of the Department of Agriculture disinfects a vehicle transporting hogs at an animal quarantine checkpoint along the Tagaytay-Nasugbu Highway in Tagaytay City on August 16, 2024 as part of efforts to control the spread of African Swine Fever (ASF). ABS-CBN News/File

MANILA -- The Department of Agriculture (DA) on Saturday said 5 piglets with comorbidities died days after receiving a dose of the African Swine Fever (ASF) vaccine. 

So far, these are the only hog deaths recorded in the DA's test vaccination of some 10,000 pigs in Batangas, said Agriculture Assistant Secretary Arnel De Mesa.

"May mga namatay na 5 noong una but because hindi nakita na may pre-condition. May pulmonary diseases na kinamatay noong mga biik," he said.

"Mayroon silang precondition na hindi sinabi sa nag-aadminister [ng vaccine]," he said.

The DA began vaccinating swine herds against the African Swine Fever in August using AVAC jabs from Vietnam, which could supposedly help pigs generate "90 percent of antibodies after 28-30 days."

READ: Vietnam to send its swine fever vaccine to Philippines

READ: Villar fumes over alleged monopoly of ASF vaccine supplier

The national government initially procured 10,000 doses for hogs in Batangas.

"Freedom of choice to ng ating mga magbababoy. Kung gusto nila, we will do it. Kung ayaw nila, okay lang din. It's a free country, no? Hindi tayo mamimilit," Agriculture Secretary Francisco Tiu-Laurel earlier said.

The DA is pushing to get 150,000 doses, and is expected to spend some P350 million for the vaccination program. 

Earlier this week, the DA announced that it would expand its ASF vaccination program to areas in Visayas and Mindanao, and would also expedite trials of ASF vaccines from the United States, Vietnam, South Korea, and Thailand.