25 areas in Ilocos Region still under ASF red zone

(INQUIRER file photo / RICHARD A. REYES)

MALASIQUI, Pangasinan – Movement of live pigs, pork, pork products, and swine genetic materials in and out of Ilocos Region’s 25 towns and cities under red zone are still prohibited due to the presence of African swine fever (ASF) as of Wednesday.

According to the Department of Agriculture Ilocos regional office (DA-1), 15 of the ASF-affected localities are in Ilocos Sur, eight in La Union, and two in Ilocos Norte, the most recent addition of infected areas. 

In a phone interview on Wednesday, Dr. Allen Mae Doctolero, DA-1 regulatory assistant division chief, said they continue to encourage the hog raisers in the region to implement biosecurity protocols to prevent further spread of the virus. 

“We also asked them to not patronize swine from red zones and other illegal products that being brought into the region,” she said. 

The concerned local government units (LGUs) have been strictly implementing quarantine, restriction of movement of pork and pork products, and culling if needed, she said. 

Doctolero said they abide by the new guidelines on depopulation or culling set by the DA.  

In the past, the policy is to cull all pigs within the 1-km. radius of the area where the infected animal is located.

This, however, was revised last September, with the covered area cut to a radius of 500 meters.

Hogs that tested positive for the virus will be culled but those that turn out negative need to be immediately brought to the area’s slaughterhouse and sold to consumers, with the latter still depending on the decision of the concerned LGU. 

From July to September this year, there are 2,470 culled pigs in La Union, 900 heads in Ilocos Sur, and 80 in Ilocos Norte.

There are 353 hog raisers affected in la Union, 111 in Ilocos Sur, and 19 in Ilocos Norte. 

Doctolero said affected hog raisers will receive indemnification from the DA for their culled hogs amounting to PHP4,000 per head for piglets, PHP8,000 per head for growers and fatteners, and PHP12,000 per head for breeders. 

Each hog grower can claim up to 20 heads. 

The 19 hog raisers in Rosario town, La Union, where the first cases of ASF this year was recorded, received a total indemnification of PHP595,000 in September, Doctolero said. 

Vaccines

DA has already purchased  ASF vaccines, and these were distributed in Batangas for initial testing. 

Doctolero said they are still waiting for the downloading of vaccines in the region from the central office.

She said the flooding may have contributed to the spread of ASF virus in some areas.

“Since the rainy season is almost over, we hope that the virus will stop spreading,” she said.

Meanwhile, DA has not received reports of pork meat shortages from the provinces, she added. (PNA)