‘Testing the water’ for possible hog repopulation in the ASF-affected areas in Ilocos region, the Department of Agriculture Regional Field Office I conducted swine distribution in Sinait and Cabugao, Ilocos Sur on October 7, 2022 at Sinait Slaughterhouse and Cabugao Civic Center, respectively.
Dubbed as the hog sentineling project, the swine distribution is a prelude to repopulation of sentinel animals that will undergo 40-day observation period given to ASF-affected backyard hog raisers.

In Sinait, Ilocos Sur, 75 hog raisers received from DA a total of 225 heads of piglets from the 5 (five) identified clusters amounting to Php3.7 million.
With the 75 hog raisers, each has received 3 piglets including drugs and biologics as well as 1 sack starter and 2 sacks grower feeds amounting to P50,000.

In identifying the recipients, Mr. Leonardo Pablo, Sinait Livestock Coordinator said that the project recipients are chosen based on the criteria set by the Agriculture Office that includes: the inclusion in the positive index and those who have not yet started tending swine after their hogs were culled in September and November last year due to ASF.
Meanwhile, in Cabugao, Ilocos Sur, 30 hog raisers each received three piglets, for a total of 90 heads, as well as three sacks of starter feeds and six sacks of grower feeds, and medications and biologics.
Cabugao Mayor Josh Edward S. Cobangbang, Municipal Agriculturist Edgar S. Balangatan, and Agricultural Program Coordinating Officers (APCO) for Ilocos Sur, Mr. Jomar Dayap, as well as LGU staff, were also present at the feeds distribution.

Other than assessing whether swine production is now possible in the region, the sentineling project also wanted to address the income losses of hog raisers brought by ASF and the lack of supply of hogs which resulted to higher price in the market.##