Biosecurity measures are being strengthened in the Sixth District, especially in Ilog town, which is the latest local government unit in Negros Occidental to be hit with pig deaths from various illnesses.
The pig deaths in Ilog rose from 35 on Sunday to 78 on Monday, June 5, the Provincial Veterinary Office (PVO) reported.
Ilog is the lone area in the Sixth District that has reported pig deaths from diseases.
The pig deaths in Negros Occidental were 10,369 representing 9.1 percent of the province’s hog population as of Monday, the PVO said.
This has resulted in losses of P118,149,325 affecting 1,960 hog raisers, the PVO added.
The PVO quarantine team held a meeting with Ilog officials led by Mayor Paul Alvarez and the town’s barangay captains to discuss immediate action to strengthen the animal biosecurity of the town, Provincial Administrator Rayfrando Diaz said.
The team also met with Rep. Mercedes Alvarez (Neg. Occ., 6th District) on the swine biosecurity threats to the Sixth District and to help hog raisers of unaffected areas sell their pigs, he added.
The team presented Alvarez with the measures being implemented by the provincial government to arrest the spread of pig diseases, Diaz said.
The PVO also was continuing to disinfect empty pig pens in Brgy. Sibucao, San Enrique.
San Enrique has had the highest number of pig deaths in Negros Occidental at 2,618 or 97.25 percent of its hog population.
Dr. Jonic Natividad, Department of Agriculture 6 regulatory chief, on Monday also stressed the importance of hog raisers implementing strict biosecurity measures to protect their animals from deadly diseases.
He said so far they only have one confirmed African swine fever (ASF) case in Negros Occidental that was detected in Pulupandan town.
Negros Occidental sends its pig samples directly to the Bureau of Animal Industry in Metro Manila for testing to reduce the waiting time, Natividad said.
The results are then directly sent back to the PVO, he said.
It is not advisable for humans to consume pork from sick or suspected to be sick pigs, he said.
VACCINES
Natividad said trials in the Philippines have shown that Vietnam’s ASF vaccine is effective in controlling the disease.
The Vietnamese producer of the vaccine is applying for a Food and Drug Administration permit to distribute the vaccines in the Philippines, he said.
Whether the national government will distribute the vaccines for free to hog farmers is being discussed, Natividad added.
Gov. Eugenio Jose Lacson said if there is an approved vaccine versus ASF the provincial government may consider buying.
He would also encourage commercial farms to do the same, he added.*
