Authorities from the veterinary office of Palawan, the Mimaropa regional agriculture office, and the animal industry bureau recently came together for discussions aimed at devising a plan to eliminate the outbreak of African swine fever (ASF) that has plagued domestic pigs in Barangay Cocoro within Magsaysay municipality.
The Department of Agriculture (DA) in Mimaropa, the Bureau of Animal Industry (BAI), the Palawan Provincial Veterinary Office (ProVet), and the Municipal Agriculture Office (MAO) of Magsaysay convened online on August 25, immediately after the outbreak was announced.
The DA Regional Field Office (RFO) said the purpose of the meeting was to strategize on how to combat and prevent the spread of the outbreak to other municipalities.
DA Mimaropa Regional Executive Director Engr. Ma. Christine Inting reportedly emphasized the need for immediate action, including halting the movement of pigs out of the town to prevent further spread to neighboring municipalities such as Cuyo and Agutaya.
Earlier, officer-in-charge Dr. Darius Mangcucang reported that five of the six blood samples that ProVet collected in Brgy. Cocoro tested positive for ASF.
Dr. Ed Zamora, BAI ASF Coordinator for Mimaropa and Bicol, elaborated on the zoning protocol, actions to be taken, and necessary documentation to assess the impact on hog raisers.
Barangay Cocoro is one of the 11 island barangays in Magsaysay, with 80 hog raisers tending to a total of 282 pigs, including piglets, sows, and boars, according to MAO records.
ProVet reported sudden pig deaths on July 14, 2023, and the current death toll has risen to around 300 due to the disease, said Dr. Mangcucang.
ProVet’s report said measures to control the virus are being implemented in Magsaysay, including strict regulation of pig movement, pork, and pork products in and out of the town, the establishment of a surveillance and monitoring team, conducting a census, disinfection, and the distribution of Information, Education, and Communication (IEC) materials.
DA-MIMAROPA’s Livestock Program and Regulatory Division, in collaboration with BAI, will provide necessary supplies for depopulation, disinfection, and IEC materials.
Livestock Program Regional Focal Person Dr. Theresa Altayo reminded hog raisers of the importance of registering in the Registry System for Basic Sectors in Agriculture and encouraged them to obtain insurance from the Philippine Crop Insurance Corporation, especially in municipalities not yet affected by ASF.
Meanwhile, Regulatory Division Chief Michael Iledan stressed the implementation of preventive and biosecurity measures, and the enforcement of the Babay ASF ordinance in each municipality, outlining programs and policies for prevention, suppression, and recovery from the virus.
ASF spreads through direct contact with infected pigs, contaminated materials, and even ticks that can carry the virus. Authorities said it can also be indirectly transmitted through the consumption of pork products that are contaminated.
The disease displays various clinical symptoms in pigs, such as fever, reduced appetite, fatigue, skin changes, vomiting, diarrhea, and respiratory problems.
There is no available vaccine against ASF, and specific treatments for infected pigs are currently unavailable.
