MANILA— As of June 4, only 19 barangays across 5 regions and 9 provinces in the country have active African swine fever cases, according to the Bureau of Animal Industry, an attached agency of the Department of Agriculture.

This is a positive sign that the DA is on the right track in its bid to have a stable supply of local pork within two to three years, BAI Director Dr. Reildrin Morales said during the agency’s virtual presser Tuesday.

AREAS WITH ACTIVE ASF CASES AS OF JUNE 4, 2021
(Classified according to region, province, city/municipality, and number of affected barangays, respectively)

• CAR - ABRA - MALIBCONG - 1
• CAR - APAYAO - PUDTOL - 1
• CAR - MOUNTAIN PROVINCE - BESAO - 1
• I - ILOCOS NORTE - SOLSONA - 2
• II - CAGAYAN - PAMPLONA - 1
• VIII - EASTERN SAMAR - ORAS - 1
• VIII - LEYTE - BARUGO - 1
• VIII - LEYTE - BURAUEN - 1
• VIII - LEYTE - MAHAPLAG - 1
• VIII - LEYTE - PALO - 3
• VIII - LEYTE - SAN MIGUEL - 2
• VIII - LEYTE - TUNGA - 1
• VIII - NORTHERN SAMAR - CATARMAN - 1
• VIII - NORTHERN SAMAR - MONDRAGON - 1
• XI - DAVAO OCCIDENTAL - STA. MARIA - 1

He added that more than 300 local government units have reported zero incidence in their areas for the past 90 to 180 days or more.

He reminded hog raisers, especially backyard raisers, to coordinate with the local agriculture or veterinary offices before raising hogs again.

"May mga lugar na wala nang reported cases pero di po 'to nangangahulugan na masasabi natin na wala nang virus na nagsi-circulate sa area kaya importante na makipag-ugnayan sa local authorities, sa municipal agriculture office, sa local veterinary office para makapag-conduct tayo ng surveillance and makapag-start tayo ng monitoring sa lugar na 'yan," he said.

(There are places that no longer have reported cases but it doesn't mean that the virus is gone. So it's important to coordinate with local authorities in the municipal agriculture office, the local veterinary office, so we could conduct surveillance and start monitoring the place.)

Trials for an ASF vaccine is currently being conducted in 10 farms in Luzon. Morales said the bureau considers holding mass vaccinations should the trials succeed in preventing the spread of the lethal hog disease.

“It’s one of the options na tinitingnan natin kung magiging maganda ang performance ng tina-trial nating bakuna, ang isa po sa direksyon natin ay mag-mass vaccination tayo lalo na doon sa high-risk areas. Subject sa magiging pag-uusap ng experts at producers,” he said.

(One of our directions is to launch mass vaccinations especially in high-risk areas. This will be subject to the discussions between experts and producers.)

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