Since the report on the ASF outbreak in 2019, things seem to get under control in the country as the cases of African Swine Fever continue to decline.
With the support of the government to combat the ASF virus, the Philippine swine industry is gradually recovering.
Of the 6,963 Ilocos hog raisers affected with ASF, some 480 from 51 barangays have received sentinel hogs from the Department of Agriculture Region 1 under the calibrated repopulation – implementation of sentinel protocol as part of the ASF recovery program of the government.
Around 1,440 sentinel piglets were distributed to areas where there were no reported cases of ASF for at least 90 days. 2,160 piglets will still be distributed once delivered by suppliers.
Aside from the weaners, the beneficiaries also received feeds, drugs and biologics, test kits, and disinfectants.
While most areas in the region are still under the red zone,
23 barangays are in the process of preparation for the issuance of a certificate of release from red to pink zone and 23 more barangays are ready for an upgrade from pink to the yellow zone.
The sentinelling program is a prelude to the swine repopulation program to revive and increase hog production in the country and consequently stabilize the supply and prices of pork.
