By Jojo Mangahis
Department of Agriculture (DA) Secretary William Dar warned the public not to spread reports about ASF that is not yet validated as it could unfavourably affect the country’s P260-billion swine industry. (photo from the DA website)
The recent incidents of African Swine Fever (ASF) in many parts of Bulacan and Rizal may be called an outbreak but is not an epidemic according to Department of Agriculture (DA) Secretary William Dar.
He noted that the ASF is already under control in Barangay Pritil, Guiguinto, Bulacan as well as in several barangays in Rodriguez, San Mateo, and Antipolo, Rizal.
The Agriculture Secretary reminded the media and general public not to spread reports about ASF that is not yet validated as it could unfavourably affect the country’s P260-billion swine industry that millions of Filipino families depend on for livelihood since according to him “around two-thirds or 65 percent of the industry is contributed by small backyard raisers.”
Following the 1-7-10 protocol of the DA that aims to manage and control the ASF, the agriculture secretary bared that 7,416 pigs in the one-kilometer radius in ASF areas in Rizal and Bulacan have already been slaughtered.
In fact, one ASF-infected slaughterhouse found in Brgy. Gitnang Bayan 1, San Mateo, Rizal, has already been shut down and sanitized.
Dar further stressed that the outbreak will not affect pork supply and prices in the market as the ASF is not a national concern but is restricted to certain areas only.
Meanwhile the DA, with the cooperation of LGUs, the private sector, PNP and even the military, will continuously implement stricter and improved monitoring system to stop the spread of ASF in other areas.